Daylily Research Beauty and

Drs. Kanyand Matand and Wesley Whittaker measure the height of a daylily and discuss other research observations.

Beauty and Longevity: Dr. Kanyand Matand’s Daylily Research

DAYLILIES ARE A POPULAR ORNAMENTAL GARDEN FLOWER, CELEBRATED THE WORLD

OVER BY HORTICULTURISTS AND ENTHUSIASTS FOR THEIR VIBRANT COLOR AND BEAUTY.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN DAYLILY SOCIETY, THERE ARE ROUGHLY 89,000 REGIS

TERED DAYLILY CULTIVARS, MOSTLY BRED TO PRODUCE UNIQUE AND EXQUISITE FLOWERS.

THE DAYLILY’S NAME DERIVES FROM THE FLOWER’S SHORT LIFESPAN — A SINGLE BLOOM

TYPICALLY LASTS JUST ONE DAY. THE DAYLILY STEM, HOWEVER, HAS MULTIPLE BUDS

AT DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES, SO EACH PLANT PRODUCES MANY FLOWERS

OVER SEVERAL WEEKS. BUT THE DAYLILY OFFERS MORE THAN JUST PRETTY BLOOMS.

A field of daylilies in early flowering.

The research of Dr. Kanyand Matand, associate professor at Langston University’s School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, focuses on the daylily’s flower longevity as well as its functional properties, particularly for conservation and food. The second growing season of his daylilies project ended recently, and he has made rapid progress toward achieving his research objectives.

PROGRESS IN BLOOMS

“Langston University has a large, genetically diverse collection of at least 250 varieties of daylily,” Matand said. “Using this resource, my research explores ways to extend the flower’s lifespan, accelerate propagation, demonstrate the broad value of daylilies, and educate the public about their perhaps unfamiliar uses.” (continues)

“Langston University has a large, genetically diverse collection of at least 250 varieties of daylily.”

— D R . K A N Y A N D M A T A N D , A S S O C I A T E P R O F E S S O R

Matand has identified a small number of varieties that flower earlier or have a longer blooming period. Other scientists have identified a few “death genes” that encode the rapid demise of daylily blooms. In his laboratory, Matand is screening daylilies to identify and silence the death genes and thus extend bloom lifespan.

At the same time, he is manipulating cells of individual organs or tissues, such as stem and flower bud, to accelerate plant propagation. Daylilies are slow to propagate naturally — in the LU daylilies collection, for example, the number of new plants propagated last year ranged from one to eight per parent plant. Matand’s approach takes a single tiny piece of stem tissue — less than half a centimeter — to produce up to 100 new plants per year. And the supply of tissues is virtually limitless since a single stem can provide many such pieces.

“Faster propagation and longer bloom life, coupled with other positive outcomes, will enhance the beauty and functional value of the daylily,” Matand remarked.

DAYLILIES IN CONSERVATION

Because of their spreading root system, daylilies can be used to stabilize soil and prevent erosion. In addition, the high moisture content of daylily foliage makes it hard to ignite, so large plantings can slow the spread of wildfire. Able to tolerate conditions from drought to occasional submersion,

“… my research explores ways to extend the flower’s lifespan, accelerate propagation, demonstrate the broad value of daylilies, and educate the public about their perhaps unfamiliar uses.”

— DR. KANYAND MATAND, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

New plants that were induced from stem and bud tissues in the laboratory without using soil or seeds.

Daylily flowers exist in different shapes and colors.

daylilies are hardy plants that could become the flower of choice in a wide variety of settings.

DAYLILIES IN FOOD AND MEDICINE

Although most people in the U.S. do not realize it, daylilies are edible, nutritious, and delicious. In their native Asian homelands, they have been a food source for thousands of years. In fact, chemical analyses dating back decades showed that daylily flowers have as much or more nutritive value than green beans or asparagus. (A word of warning: daylilies – Hemerocallis spp. – and lilies – Lilium spp. – are of different genera. Lilies should never be eaten, and some daylilies can have adverse effects. Be sure not to consume any daylily without guidance from scientists and growers).

Preparing the flowers for eating depends on individual taste and preference. Consumers can stew or fry flowers, flower buds, or shoot burgeons, and use flower buds in fritters or soups. Matand is trying to determine which varieties in the LU collection are edible and most flavorful. If few edibles are found, he plans to import edible varieties for cultivation. Daylilies have also been used as a medicinal plant for millennia. And although Matand is not studying the plant’s health properties, the LU collection will enable future research into its therapeutic value. Preliminary research has demonstrated that daylilies have chemical properties that help in the treatment of cancer, jaundice, arsenic poisoning, sleeplessness, and general body fatigue. They have also been shown to improve memory and detoxify the body.

DAYLILIES TO THE HORIZON

Matand believes his current work will discover many beneficial uses for daylilies in addition to beautifying gardens and landscapes. By demonstrating many of the daylily’s useful properties for food and conservation, he hopes to increase interest in this plant and spur new business opportunities for producers. Matand can already imagine a time when the lovely daylily helps feed, heal, protect, and profit people the world over.

For more information, please contact Dr. Kanyand Matand, matand@ langston.edu.