Choosing the Perfect Red Daylily with Yellow Throat for Your Garden

Daylilies are treasured for their wide range of colors and patterns. One especially striking combination is a vibrant red flower with a contrasting yellow throat. This eye-catching blend adds a pop of color and visual interest to the garden. When selecting a red daylily with yellow throat, considerations like bloom time, size, reblooming habits and more will ensure you pick the ideal one for your landscape.

In this article we’ll highlight some of the best red and yellow throat daylily varieties and provide tips for choosing the perfect one for your needs. Read on to explore the beautiful possibilities!

Why Pair Red Flowers with Yellow Throats?

This bicolor pairing provides excellent contrast between the warm intense red petals and the bright cheery yellow throat. The red attracts the eye while the yellow center adds depth. This makes the blooms really stand out in the garden.

A red and yellow combo also blends well with many other flower colors. The red matches red, orange, pink or hot-colored companions. The yellow complements pastels like lavender and softens deeper hues like purples and blues. This versatility makes a red and yellow daylily easy to use in various garden designs.

Red and Yellow Daylily Choices by Bloom Season

One of the biggest decisions is bloom time. Daylilies flower at different times from early summer to fall. Select based on when you want the red and yellow color in your garden. Here are top choices for each season:

• Early Bloomers – Fire Tree – Vibrant small red with neat yellow throat. Dominic – Darker red with light yellow throat. Reblooms. Paprika Velvet – Small, bright red with extended bloom.

• Midseason Bloomers – Blue Blood – Large red with green-yellow throat. Reblooms. Chicago Cherry – Bright red with green throat. Reblooms. Siloam Red Toy – Cherry red mini, low growing.

• Late Bloomers – Christmas Red – Bright red with yellow-green throat. Reblooms. Ruby Throat – Deep ruby-red with yellow-green throat. Mexicana – Very large, showy dark red with yellow throat.

Consider Reblooming Varieties

Some red and yellow varieties rebloom for a second flush of flowers in late summer or fall:

• Dominic – Darker red rebloomer.
• Blue Blood – Reliable red rebloomer with green-yellow throat.
• Christmas Red – Reblooms in August with yellow-green throat.

Look at Size and Growth Habit

Red and yellow daylilies come in a range of sizes:

• Full size – 24 inches or taller
• Intermediate – 16 to 23 inches
• Miniature – Under 16 inches

Compact minis work well in container gardens. Mid-sized varieties mix into perennial beds. Full size makes a bold statement in backdrops or as specimen plants.

Growth habit ranges from low and spreading to upright and arching. Pick a form that fits your garden’s needs.

Consider Flower Form and Traits

Beyond color, red and yellow daylilies offer diversity in bloom shape and traits:

• Simple or double flowers – doubles have extra petals for a fuller form.
• Ruffled, crisp or recurved petal edges add interest.
• Eyezone – some have a darker ring around the yellow throat.
• Contrasting red and yellow on the same petals – called polychrome.
• Spiders – Long, thin, twisted petals with a spidery look.
• Fragrance – lightly scented blooms.

Review flower photos and descriptions to find the features you like best.

Top Picks for Yellow-Throated Red Daylilies

Here are some top red and yellow varieties to consider:

• Chicago Apache – Large ruffled scarlet red with yellow throat. Reblooms.
• Dominic – Darker red with light yellow throat. Reliable rebloomer.
• Christmas Red – Vibrant red with yellow-green throat. August bloomer.
• Fire Tree – Pony-sized flame red mini with yellow throat.
• Mexicana – Huge 6-inch red blooms with yellow throat. August bloom.
• Blue Blood – 5-inch red with green-yellow throat. Reblooms.
• Paprika Velvet – Small bright red with extended bloom. Green throat.

Designing With Red and Yellow Daylilies

When adding red and yellow varieties to your landscape, keep these design tips in mind:

• Plant in groups of 3 or more for bold color impact.
• Use yellow-throated reds to echo and contrast other yellows like coreopsis, rudbeckia or yarrow.
• Pair different bloom times for continuous color. Ex: early red with late yellow rebloomer.
• Underplant with cool hues like lavender or blue flowers to intensify the warmth of the red blooms.
• Use red and yellow daylilies in containers on porches, patios or in focal areas.
• Mass taller backdrops like yellow-throated reds behind shorter borders in front.

Caring for Red Daylilies with Yellow Throats

Give your red and yellow beauties the care they need to thrive:

• Plant in full sun to part shade. At least 6 hours of sun is ideal.
• Provide average to moist but well-draining soil. Amend clay or sandy soils.
• Establish new plants with weekly deep watering the first season.
• Fertilize in early spring and midsummer using a balanced formula.
• Remove spent flower scapes and deadhead to encourage reblooming.
• Divide congested clumps every 3-5 years in fall after first frost.
• Mulch plants to help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Finding the Perfect Fit

With their vibrant, eye-catching blooms, red daylilies with yellow throats are sure to make a statement in your garden. Keep bloom time, plant size, growth habits and flower traits in mind to select the right variety for your space.

Use design principles like mass planting, color echoing and height variation to highlight these beauties in your landscape. With a little TLC, red and yellow daylilies will reward you with years of stunning color.