perennial flower
Stella de Oro daylily
A workhorse daylily for low-care sunny borders and parking strips.
Growing Profile
- Hardiness
- Zones 3a-9a
- Sun
- FullPartial
- Soil
- LoamClaySandy
- Water
- Medium
- Deer pressure
- Frequently damaged Use as a deer browsing cue, not a guarantee; heavy deer pressure can override resistance ratings.
- Black walnut
- Better near black walnut Use as a black walnut / juglone planning cue; tolerance varies by cultivar, soil, and distance from the tree.
- Planting depth
- Plant 0-1 in deep
- Container min
- 2+ gal (good)
- Goals
- Curb appeal & color
Harvest & Use
- Window
- gold flowers from late spring through summer
- Yield return
- 60-90 lb/plant/year
- First output
- 4-7 yrs
- Best for
- Curb appeal & color
Harvest window: gold flowers from late spring through summer. Once established, the current pound-return model uses 60-90 lb/plant/year with a harvest window of 2-5 weeks.
Plant photos
What it looks like in the garden
Use these photos to compare the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and overall habit before you buy or plant.
Photos show a representative plant in the garden. Fruit color, size, and growth habit can vary by cultivar, season, nursery stock, and site.
Photo sources: W. Bulach / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quantitative Profile
- Pound return
- 60-90 lb/plant/year
- 10-year return
- 243.4-365.1 lb/10 yrs
- Full output
- 7-10 yrs
- Mature size
- 15-30 ft H x 15-25 ft W
- Spacing
- 20-25 ft in-row x 25-30 ft rows
- Planting depth
- Plant 0-1 in deep
- Container min
- 2+ gal (good)
- Productive life
- 15-25 yrs
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Reliability
- 2/5
- Data quality
- Medium profile, Medium yield confidence
Pound return is the stock-style yield metric. These are planning ranges for comparing plants, not guarantees. Cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife can move actual results.
Planting Checklist
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Right-size container with drainage
Containers / Before plantingUse a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.
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Expanding container potting mix
Containers / Before plantingUse a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.
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Organic mulch
Soil / After plantingHold soil moisture, suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and protect shallow roots.
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Hand trowel
Tools / Planting dayPlant starts, herbs, flowers, bulbs, and smaller container plants at the right depth.
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Finished compost
Soil / Bed prepImprove bed structure and organic matter before planting annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees.
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Watering wand or can
Watering / Planting dayWater new transplants gently without washing soil away from the crown or roots.
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Bypass pruners
Maintenance / First seasonMake clean cuts for harvesting, deadheading, shaping, and light pruning.
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Balanced garden fertilizer
Nutrition / During growthFeed annual vegetables, herbs, flowers, and hungry container crops according to soil or label guidance.
Yield curve
Estimated Pound Return
Projected annual yield ramp from establishment to full production, using the current sourced range for Stella de Oro daylily.
- Year 1
- 0 lb Establishment year: focus on roots before harvest.
- Year 5
- 17.1-25.7 lb
- Year 10
- 60-90 lb
- 10-year total
- 243.4-365.1 lb/10 yrs
Shaded band shows the sourced low-to-high pound-yield range. The line tracks the midpoint for quick comparison.
Method: direct pound yield from crop metric source. Annual crops assume one comparable planting per year; perennial crops ramp from first bearing to full production.
Planting Strategy
- Planting depth: Plant 0-1 in deep
- Container minimum: 2+ gal (good). Use 2+ gal per plant, or wider mixed containers with similar water needs.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
Risk Factors
- Match the site first: full, partial light, loam, clay, sandy soil, and medium water.
- Use 20-25 ft in-row x 25-30 ft rows as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 15-30 ft H x 15-25 ft W.
- Deer pressure can be a real constraint for this plant; plan protection if browsing is common nearby.
- Local drainage, pests, chill hours, wildlife pressure, and microclimates can change the result.
Related Planning Guides
Comparable Plants
Sources & Methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, supplier links, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Planning sources: Midwest Home Fruit Production GuidePenn State Extension - Stone Fruit Spacing and Probable YieldUniversity of Minnesota Extension - Growing Stone Fruits in the Home GardenNC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxK-State Extension Master Gardener Handbook - Herbaceous Plants
Supplier search: Amazon. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-31.