The ‘Stella de Oro’ daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Stella de Oro’) is one of the most widely planted perennials due to its exceptional hardiness and extended bloom period. Introduced in 1975, it was the first cultivar to reliably rebloom throughout the summer, providing consistent golden-yellow color from late spring until frost. Companion planting involves selecting partners that share its robust, low-maintenance nature while offering contrasting visual elements to create a cohesive garden design.
Matching the Cultural Requirements
Successful pairing requires a mutual tolerance for the same environmental conditions, ensuring both the daylily and its companion thrive. The ‘Stella de Oro’ daylily performs best in full sun, needing a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily to produce abundant flowers. While it tolerates partial shade, insufficient light reduces its reblooming characteristic.
The perennial is highly adaptable to various soil types but requires well-drained conditions, as soggy soil can lead to root rot. Once established, ‘Stella de Oro’ is drought-tolerant, though it benefits from moderate, consistent watering during extended dry periods. Therefore, companions must also be sun-loving perennials that tolerate moderate moisture levels and fast-draining soil. Selecting plants with similar tolerance for heat and humidity is important for a healthy planting.
Companion Plants for Foliage and Texture Contrast
The foliage of ‘Stella de Oro’ consists of dense, linear leaves that form a grassy mound. To break up this uniform, spiky texture, companion plants should introduce broad, rounded, or finely textured leaves. This contrast provides visual relief and maintains garden interest when the daylily is not actively flowering.
Ornamental grasses are excellent partners, as their fine, airy texture softens the daylily’s stiff form. Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) provides a contrasting cool, bluish-gray color and a delicate, mounding habit. For broader texture, the thick, succulent foliage of Sedum, particularly ‘Autumn Joy’, introduces a fleshy, mounding shape that foils the daylily’s grass-like leaves.
Hostas are a traditional choice for areas receiving afternoon shade, offering large, rounded, and sometimes variegated leaves that provide a dramatic difference in shape. Plants like Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina) introduce soft, woolly, silver-gray foliage. This muted color highlights the vibrant green of the daylily leaves, ensuring the garden remains dynamic even when flowers are absent.
Strategic Color and Bloom Timing
The bright, saturated golden-yellow of ‘Stella de Oro’ flowers strongly influences color selection. Colors opposite yellow on the color wheel, specifically purples and blues, pair exceptionally well, providing a sophisticated visual balance that makes the yellow appear richer. White flowers are also effective, offering a crisp, neutral element that highlights the daylily’s vibrancy.
For concurrent bloom, the spiky, vertical flower stalks of Catmint (Nepeta) or Salvia, such as ‘May Night’, are ideal. They provide a deep violet-blue that contrasts beautifully with the trumpet-shaped yellow blooms. These plants often start blooming around the same time as the daylily’s first flush and share its preference for full sun and drought tolerance. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) introduces silvery-gray foliage and lavender-blue flowers, serving as an airy, contrasting backdrop to the daylily clumps.
To ensure continuous color when the ‘Stella de Oro’ reblooming cycle slows down in late summer, selecting later-flowering companions is a practical strategy. Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) and Lavender (Lavandula) offer purple tones and sturdy, upright forms. They take over the primary flowering role as the heat intensifies, maintaining a diverse and layered display that extends the season’s interest.