If you love the standard orange day lily that grows all around North America, also called the “ditch lily” or “tiger lily,” you’ll love these eye-catching lily alternatives. They’re just as easy to grow, adding bright pops of color to temperate climate gardens.
These are some of our fave Zone 6 Perennials, though most are frost-hardy in zones 4 through 8 without worry.
Red day lily flowers
These hardy perennials are just as easy to grow as their orange day lily cousins, only with a deeper red hue. We love them on their own, mixed with citrus tone flowers and as accent borders along wooden fences.
Just beware: deer love to eat these, and they’re slightly more expensive than ditch lily varieties at about $6 per bulb. They do spread quickly, though.
Strawberry Candy lily
This fun, feminine take on typical orange day lily flowers is a gardener’s dream. It’s easy to grow, offering rich orange, pink and red hues and rarer ruffled edges.
It’s an excellent housewarming gift and a fun addition to the front doorways of Northeastern homes.
Applique day lily
Holy color explosion! This is a chic orange day lily with a gorgeous ombre twist that is sure to make your garden stand out from the pack. We love the fun hues that vary a bit from bulb to bulb. Expect easy maintenance, frost-hardy growing and lush, big blooms.
Yellow day lily
The yellow day lily is the orange day lily’s best friend, often growing in the same gardens side-by-side. There’s really no major difference between the two aside from the variation in color.
Oh, and these come in both standard day lily and Asiatic varieties, so you’ve got your pick. The former spreads below ground a lot faster and easier, though. The latter is simpler to box in and control.
Pastel Asiatic lily
If subtle pastels are more your style, reach for as many soft-colored Asiatic lily bulbs are you can get your hands on. These seem to offer muted tones more readily than European and American varieties.
Expect timeless charm, soft elegance, easy maintenance and loads of curb appeal.
Something to keep in mind, however, is these are not deer-resistant (more like deer candy!) and beetles love chomping the leaves.
Other Asiatic orange day lily varieties you may love:
How to group and plant your orange day lily alternatives:
- First, you can absolutely plant standard orange ditch lily flowers next to fancier Asiatic lily plants. Don’t be shy! Just know that the bushier leaves of European and American varieties may crowd Asiatic lily stems.
- These like slightly acidic soil, which is standard for most of the eastern US.
- Expect lily plants to do well in growing zones 4 through 8, with a handful of varieties making it in zones 3 and 9.
- Keep these fenced if you have deer around! Deer love to eat these and will at every possible chance.
