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Plant care

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' (Ruby Spider Daylily) care

Hemerocallis 'Ruby Spider'

Also called Ruby Spider Daylily, Giant Spider Daylily.

RHS H7USDA 4-9Toxic to petsIndoor 85-100 cm tall in bloom

Watering rhythm

7days

When the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7 days during summer

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Light

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Soil

Deep, fertile, well-draining loam

Humidity

40-70%

Temp

-20-38°C

Pet safety

Toxic to pets

Mature size

85-100 cm tall in bloom

Care at a glance

Light

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' needs sun on the leaves, not just bright ambient room light. Full sun (6+ hours per day) is essential for maximum bloom size and stem strength. In partial shade, flowers are smaller, fewer, and scapes may need staking. The vivid ruby colouration intensifies in bright sun. A south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere is the default; anywhere else, expect the plant to stretch and pale out within a season.

Watering

Water daylily 'ruby spider' when the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7 days during summer. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Large-flowered cultivars benefit from consistent moisture through the growing season. Deep watering once or twice weekly is preferred over shallow daily irrigation. Reduce in autumn. Drought-tolerant once well-established but flowers best with regular water.

Soil and pot

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' grows best in deep, fertile, well-draining loam. Deep, rich soil supports the large root system and heavy flower production. Incorporate 10-15 cm of compost at planting. pH 6.0-7.0. Avoid shallow or compacted soils which restrict the large fan root system. 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 'Ruby Spider' sits happiest at around 40-70% humidity and -20-38°C (-4-100°F). Tolerates a wide range. Space 60-75 cm apart to ensure airflow around the large clumps and reduce foliar disease. If you keep the room above 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 'ruby spider' sparingly. Feed with a balanced granular fertiliser in spring, then switch to a high-potassium bloom formula during bud development to maximise flower size. A slow-release granule applied once in spring can be combined with liquid feeds every 2-3 weeks during peak growth. 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 'ruby spider' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Scape lodging (flopping) — Very tall scapes may need staking in windy sites. Use bamboo canes and ties; or choose a sheltered position.
  • Reduced bloom size without sun — Flowers are much smaller in partial shade. Full sun is non-negotiable for exhibition-sized blooms.
  • Daylily rust — Orange-yellow pustules on foliage; remove and destroy affected leaves, spray with systemic fungicide.
  • Crown rot in wet soils — Large cultivars are more prone to crown issues in poorly drained soil. Raise planting on a slight mound; improve drainage.
  • Clump decline after 5 years — Lift and divide in late summer to rejuvenate. Replant in deeply dug, manure-enriched soil.

Companion plants

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' pairs well with Miscanthus sinensis, Echinacea pallida, Crocosmia 'Lucifer', and Verbena bonariensis. 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 in late summer or early autumn every 4-5 years. Lift and separate fans with a spade or back-to-back fork method. Each fan division with roots will establish readily when replanted in prepared soil. 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 'Ruby Spider' is toxic to pets. Ruby Spider, like all Hemerocallis cultivars, is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats. Ingestion of any part — including pollen that settles on fur and is groomed off — can cause acute renal failure in cats. Toxic to dogs at larger doses. Never plant where cats roam. 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 'Ruby Spider' care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Hemerocallis 'Ruby Spider'?

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

How much light does daylily 'ruby spider' need?

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' grows best in direct sun (at least 4-6 hours). Full sun (6+ hours per day) is essential for maximum bloom size and stem strength. In partial shade, flowers are smaller, fewer, and scapes may need staking. The vivid ruby colouration intensifies in bright sun.

How often should I water daylily 'ruby spider'?

Water daylily 'ruby spider' when the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7 days during summer. Large-flowered cultivars benefit from consistent moisture through the growing season. Deep watering once or twice weekly is preferred over shallow daily irrigation. Reduce in autumn. Drought-tolerant once well-established but flowers best with regular water. 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 'ruby spider' toxic to cats and dogs?

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' is toxic to pets. Ruby Spider, like all Hemerocallis cultivars, is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats. Ingestion of any part — including pollen that settles on fur and is groomed off — can cause acute renal failure in cats. Toxic to dogs at larger doses. Never plant where cats roam.

What USDA hardiness zone does daylily 'ruby spider' grow in?

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' is rated for USDA zone 4-9 and RHS hardiness H7. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of daylily 'ruby spider' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

Featured in these plant shortlists

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' qualifies for 5 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

Daylily 'Ruby Spider' is also commonly called Ruby Spider Daylily or Giant Spider Daylily.