Edible Flowers: Cooking with Daylilies

An invasive ornamental species, the daylily is found throughout the U.S., in gardens, forests, fields and roadsides. Despite the common nature of the daylily, few gardeners or foragers are aware that they are actually edible-- and quite delicious! Whether you're seeking a use for your foraged lilies or want to make culinary use of your ornamental flowers, these tips for cooking with daylilies can help you get started.

Collecting Edible Daylilies

As a fan of the incredible edible daylily, I generally harvest daylilies the day that the flower-pods begin to open. This gives a perfect balance of sweet flavor and crisp texture. In most USDA zones, daylilies reach this maturity point at some time in the early to mid spring, although the timing will vary widely by region and the variety of daylily being collected.

The edible flowers are best when eaten near-immediately after collection, but they can be stored in a refrigerator for a few days, or even longer. When storing daylily flowers for culinary use, bear in mind that they are indeed flowers-- so they stay fresh the longest if short stems are left attached and they are placed in shallow water.

Cooking Daylily Fritters

My favorite culinary use for daylilies, by far, is the daylily fritter, which a dear friend and professional forager showed me how to cook. Daylilies at any point in their growth can be dipped in a creamy batter and then quickly fried in very hot oil. Batter recipes can vary dramatically, but my favorite for daylilies is a combination of whole-wheat flour and a little corn starch. Sugar and/or salt can be added, as well.

It is best to cook the fritters by deep-frying them, or frying them in enough oil that the flowers float. However, they also taste wonderful when they are simply pan-seared in pre-heated oil. Sunflower oil, corn oil, and coconut oil are all excellent choices for cooking daylilies. Daylily fritters can be served hot with butter, preserves, apple butter, or cinnamon, or they can be used as a savory side-dish.

Daylilies as an Ingredient

Edible daylilies work wonders as a substitute for run-of-the-mill fruits and vegetables, and taste delicious in soups, salads, and stir-fries. Raw daylilies are sweet with an exotic bite and add interest and variety to everyday salads, and daylilies have the a texture and flavor similar to sauteed onions or mushrooms when they are fully cooked.

If you're not sure how to use daylilies as a cooking ingredient, consider trying small amounts of the edible flowers in your stir-fries or soups. If you find that you like the flavor, add more to your specific taste. Daylilies can replace or complement the flavors of onion, mushroom, chicken, carrots, and squash.

Cautions and Warnings

There is little available information regarding potential health risks relating to daylilies, and they are widely used in Asian cuisine. While there have been rumors among foragers and gardeners about the potential toxicity of daylilies, this more likely results from misidentified plants or allergies than from truly toxicity within daylilies.

Allergies to almost all foods are ultimately possible, so, as when trying any new food, limit your intake to be certain that you do not have a negative reaction. If you develop hives, a rash, or difficulty breathing-- a rare possibility that occurs when trying any new food-- stop eating it and contact your doctor.

For the vast majority of people, daylilies can provide an escape from the cycle of mundane, day-to-day culinary vegetables. Offering a variety of delicious uses in many different meals, the daylily is sure to please the tastebuds of any foraging chef.