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Plant care

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' (Chicago Apache daylily) care

Hemerocallis 'Chicago Apache'

Also called Chicago Apache daylily, red daylily.

RHS H6USDA 3-9Toxic to petsIndoor 60-75 cm tall in bloom

Watering rhythm

7-10days

Roughly every 7-10 days during the growing season; reduce to every 2-3 weeks in winter dormancy

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Light

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Soil

Moderately fertile, well-draining loam or amended garden soil

Humidity

40-60%

Temp

5-32°C

Pet safety

Toxic to pets

Mature size

60-75 cm tall in bloom

Care at a glance

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Performs best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Can tolerate light afternoon shade in hotter climates, but flowering density decreases noticeably with less than 4 hours of sun. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for daylily 'chicago apache' — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering daylily 'chicago apache': roughly every 7-10 days during the growing season; reduce to every 2-3 weeks in winter dormancy. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Water deeply at the base, keeping foliage dry to reduce fungal risk. Established clumps are moderately drought-tolerant but benefit from consistent moisture during bud formation and bloom. Avoid waterlogged soil.

Soil and pot

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' grows best in moderately fertile, well-draining loam or amended garden soil. Tolerates a wide range of soil types from sandy to clay, provided drainage is reasonable. Incorporate compost at planting to improve structure. A slightly acidic to neutral pH of 6.0–7.0 is ideal. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' sits happiest at around 40-60% humidity and 5-32°C (41-90°F). Adapts well to average outdoor humidity. High humidity combined with poor air circulation can encourage fungal leaf-streak disease; space plants at least 45–60 cm apart to promote airflow. If you keep the room above 5 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed daylily 'chicago apache' sparingly. Apply a balanced granular fertiliser (e.g. 10-10-10) in early spring as growth resumes, then a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus feed just before bud set to boost bloom. Avoid over-fertilising with nitrogen, which promotes foliage at the expense of flowers. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on daylily 'chicago apache' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Daylily rust — Puccinia hemerocallidis produces orange-yellow pustules on leaves. Remove affected foliage promptly and apply a fungicide labelled for rust if severe.
  • Leaf streak — Yellow streaking and dieback caused by Aureobasidium microstictum. Improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and cut back foliage in autumn.
  • Aphids — Colonies cluster on new buds and scapes in spring. Knock off with a strong water jet or apply insecticidal soap; natural predators usually provide control.
  • Thrips — Feeding causes silvery streaking on petals and distorted buds. Spinosad-based sprays applied in the morning are effective when thrips pressure is high.
  • Crown rot — Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in warm, wet conditions. Remove and dispose of infected crowns, improve drainage, and avoid excess nitrogen.

Companion plants

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' pairs well with Salvia nemorosa, Echinacea purpurea, Achillea millefolium, and Rudbeckia fulgida. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Divide clumps every 3-5 years in spring or early autumn — lift the clump, separate fans with a sharp spade or back-to-back forks, and replant at the original depth. Division also reinvigorates flowering; seed-grown plants will not come true to cultivar. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' is toxic to pets. Hemerocallis (daylily) is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats; ingestion — including pollen, leaves, or petals — can cause acute kidney failure and is potentially fatal. Dogs may experience vomiting and lethargy. Keep this plant away from all cats. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Hemerocallis 'Chicago Apache'?

Hemerocallis 'Chicago Apache' is most commonly called Daylily 'Chicago Apache', but it is also known as Chicago Apache daylily, red daylily. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Daylily 'Chicago Apache' apply identically to anything sold as Chicago Apache daylily.

How much light does daylily 'chicago apache' need?

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' grows best in direct sun (at least 4-6 hours). Performs best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Can tolerate light afternoon shade in hotter climates, but flowering density decreases noticeably with less than 4 hours of sun.

How often should I water daylily 'chicago apache'?

Water daylily 'chicago apache' roughly every 7-10 days during the growing season; reduce to every 2-3 weeks in winter dormancy. Water deeply at the base, keeping foliage dry to reduce fungal risk. Established clumps are moderately drought-tolerant but benefit from consistent moisture during bud formation and bloom. Avoid waterlogged soil. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is daylily 'chicago apache' toxic to cats and dogs?

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' is toxic to pets. Hemerocallis (daylily) is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats; ingestion — including pollen, leaves, or petals — can cause acute kidney failure and is potentially fatal. Dogs may experience vomiting and lethargy. Keep this plant away from all cats.

What USDA hardiness zone does daylily 'chicago apache' grow in?

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' is rated for USDA zone 3-9 and RHS hardiness H6. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of daylily 'chicago apache' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

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Daylily 'Chicago Apache' qualifies for 6 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

Daylily 'Chicago Apache' is also commonly called Chicago Apache daylily or red daylily.