Daylily vs Hardy geranium hybrids

Daylily and Hardy geranium hybrids are often considered for the same spot in the garden (flowers, ground cover, pollinator friendly, container). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Daylily

Hemerocallis × hybrida 80 cm × 60 cm after 10 years

Garden daylilies are almost indestructible, long-lived perennials: above a clump of arching, grassy leaves they carry trumpet-shaped flowers for weeks…

Perennial

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 13

Hardy geranium hybrids

Geranium × hybridum 50 cm × 70 cm after 10 years

This record covers the garden cranesbills sold by cultivar name: loose mounds of cut leaves with saucer-shaped blue, purple, pink or white flowers,…

Perennial

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 14

Key differences

Daylily is highly toxic to cats: even a small amount can be life-threatening. Do not plant it where cats go. Highly toxic to cats: eating any part of the plant (leaves, flowers, even pollen) can cause vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy and then acute kidney failure, which can be fatal.
Daylily grows taller, Hardy geranium hybrids spreads wider: 80 cm × 60 cm and 50 cm × 70 cm after ten years (an estimate: sources differ).
Daylily copes better with summer heat than Hardy geranium hybrids.
Daylily tolerates drought better than Hardy geranium hybrids.
Daylily also takes heavy clay, Hardy geranium hybrids needs a loose, free-draining soil (an estimate: sources differ).

Which one to choose?

Daylily is the better choice if the spot is hot and sunny, you cannot water regularly or the soil is heavy clay.

Hardy geranium hybrids is the better choice if cats use the garden.

Watch out for

Daylily

Larvae of the hemerocallis gall midge develop inside the early buds, which swell, distort and fail to open: pick these off and bin them. In hot, dry weather thrips, spider mites and aphids can disfigure leaves and flowers, and leaf streak may show on the foliage. Daylily rust is a problem in some regions. Flowering is poor in prolonged drought or deep shade, and clumps are best divided every 3 to 4 years.

Hardy geranium hybrids

In the hot, dry summers of Central Europe the foliage can scorch in full sun and flowering stops, so afternoon shade and moisture-retentive soil make a real difference. Leaf spot, rust or powdery mildew may appear in humid weather; the summer cut-back usually deals with it. Meadow cranesbill cultivars self-seed freely, and the less hardy cultivars (for example the trailing, golden-leaved ones) may die out in a hard, wet winter.

The data side by side

Feature	Daylily	Hardy geranium hybrids
Group	Perennial	Perennial
Size after 10 years	80 cm × 60 cm (uncertain)	50 cm × 70 cm (uncertain)
Ultimate size	0.2–1.5 m × 30–90 cm (uncertain)	0.3–1 m × 0.3–1 m (uncertain)
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	no data
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay	Average garden soil (uncertain)
Hardiness	down to -40 °C (USDA 3, RHS H7)	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High	Medium
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous (uncertain)
Flowering	May–September, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, white (uncertain)	May–September, blue, purple, pink, white
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	High	Medium
Maintenance	Low	Low
Planting distance	50 cm	50 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Highly toxic	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For children	Non-toxic	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	approx. PLN 20	approx. PLN 19

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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