Citron daylily

Medicinal Uses

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers  Leaves  Root  Shoots | Edible Uses: Leaves and young shoots - cooked[205]. They must be consumed when very young or else they become fibrous[K]. Flowers and flower buds - raw or cooked[105, 177]. The flowers can be dried and used as a thickener in soups etc. The slender trumpets vary from 12 - 17cm long[205]. There can be from 7 to 65 buds on a flowering stem[205]. The flower buds contain about 43mg vitamin C per 100g, 983 IU vitamin A and 3.1% protein[205]. Root - raw or cooked[205]. The flavour is somewhat radish-like but not so sharp[205].

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils[1], including dry ones, preferring a rich moist soil[200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeding in sun or shade, it produces more flowers in a sunny position though these flowers can be shorter-lived in very sunny positions[205]. Succeeds in short grass if the soil is moist[1]. Prefers a pH between 6 and 7[200]. Plants are hardy to at least -20°c[187]. Widely cultivated in China for its edible flowers, especially in Hunan province[266]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200]. This species is said to be self-incompatible[127, 205]. Many of the plants in cultivation under this name are H. thunbergii[205]. The sub-species H. citrina vespertina (Hara.)Erhardt. is a very free-flowering form, producing up to 75 buds per scape and capable of flowering from July to October if the weather is suitable[205]. The plant forms a loose spreading clump[K]. The roots form pseudobulbs[205]. Plants take a year or two to become established after being moved[1]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[233]. The plants are very susceptible to slug and snail damage, the young growth in spring is especially at risk[200]. Individual flowers are very short-lived, they open in the late afternoon and die in the morning[200]. However, plants produce a succession of flowers for several weeks of the summer. The number of flowers on a scape varies from 7 to 65[205]. The flowers have a lemony scent[205]. Another report says that they have a pronounced honeysuckle scent[245].

Known Hazards

Large quantities of the leaves are said to be hallucinogenic. Blanching the leaves removes this hallucinatory component[205]. (This report does not make clear what it means by blanching, it could be excluding light from the growing shoots or immersing in boiling water[K].)

Habitats

Forest margins, grassy fields and slopes along valleys from near sea level to 2000 metres[266].