Hemerocallis 'Red Hot Returns'

Hemerocallis 'Red Hot Returns': Scarlet Colour That Sizzles All Summer
With its glowing cherry-red blooms and persistent reblooming habit, Hemerocallis 'Red Hot Returns' is a fiery addition to the sunny garden. Part of the celebrated Returns series, this compact, free-flowering cultivar delivers vivid colour and dependable performance from early summer right through to frost. Each blossom opens wide with lightly ruffled petals and a luminous yellow-green throat, creating a bold, cheerful presence that brings beds, borders, and containers to life.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 40–50 cm
• Spread: 45–60 cm, forming a compact, arching clump
• Flower Colour: Bright cherry red with a yellow-green throat; lightly ruffled petals
• Flowering Period: Early summer to fall; continuous rebloomer
• Foliage: Arching, green, grass-like leaves; deciduous
• Sunlight Requirements: Full sun to part shade
• Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained soil; adaptable to clay, loam, or sandy soils

Uses and Benefits: Red Hot Returns is an excellent choice for edging pathways, brightening containers, or massing in the front of sunny borders. Its steady flowering and compact size make it ideal for small-space gardens or high-impact planting schemes. Easy to grow, drought-tolerant once established, and deer-resistant, this pollinator-friendly daylily provides season-long performance with minimal care.

Companion Plants: Pair with Salvia 'Bumblesky', whose soft blue spires cool the hot red tones and attract pollinators throughout the season. Add Achillea 'New Vintage White' for clean, bright contrast that makes the red even more vibrant. Finish with Sedum 'Firecracker', whose dark red foliage echoes the daylily’s bloom tones and adds late-season texture.

Care Instructions: Plant in full sun for best bloom and colour development. Water regularly during the first growing season; once established, it is drought-tolerant. Deadhead for tidiness and to encourage continual reblooming. Cut foliage back in fall or early spring, and divide every 3–4 years to maintain vigour.

History: Introduced by renowned hybridizer Darrel Apps, Hemerocallis 'Red Hot Returns' was bred for long bloom, compact habit, and brilliant colour—key traits of the Returns series. It has since become a go-to variety for gardeners seeking non-stop colour in bold hues.

Final Thoughts: Radiating energy and blooming without pause, Hemerocallis 'Red Hot Returns' turns up the heat in any sunny setting. Whether you’re designing with contrast or building a hot-colour palette, it delivers lasting beauty, effortless care, and garden excitement all summer long. A small but fiery favourite.