Dangers and Pleasures of Lilies
First, it is not uncommon for several different plants to have the same name. When it comes to eating plants, this can lead to trouble. Some people call day lilies tiger lilies. The tiger lily is actually Lily of the Valley another genus whose flowers are considered poisonous, at least to cats. (Probably the bulbs Lily species are edible when cooked. But that’s another story.) So there you have it. Identify your Hemerocallis yellow surely.
And then we come to diploids, tetraploids, and triploids. Fasten seatbelts.
Lily poisoning
Most documented (an vital distinction) daylily poisonings—in humans and animals—are associated with the consumption of daylily species (i.e., not cultivated varieties or hybrids) in Asia, where the plants are commonly consumed. The toxin responsible for these poisonings appears be hemocalin, a neurotoxin.
Poisonings, some fatal, are caused by the tubers and roots of some plant species. Hemerocallis yellow is not one of them. What seems significant is that the daylily species in question are diploids. Diploids have two sets of chromosomes: one set from the egg cell and one set from the sperm in the pollen. In other words, they are fertile and produce seeds.
Difficulties in Daylily Cultivation
yellow hemocallis, Our common orange lily is a triploid. It has three sets of chromosomes and is usually sterile as it does not produce fertile seeds (its invasiveness is due to the spread of rhizomes).
In the daylily breeding industry, which is a huge industry, many thousands (the word is compact for “cultivars,” and the name always appears in single quotation marks) are tetraploids — they have four sets of chromosomes.
Tetraploids are valued for their decorative qualities: they have larger flowers and stronger leaves and stems. You don’t become a tetraploid because you wish you did. A toxic alkaloid (not all alkaloids are harmful to us) called colchicine — extracted from meadow saffron (Colchicum autumn)—is used to induce polyploidy (more than two sets of chromosomes). It is theorized that eating daylily varieties (grown for the horticultural trade) exposed to colchicine, rather than the good ancient orange ditch lily yellow hemocallis, may cause the suffering experienced by some foragers. But it is also extremely doubtful that colchicine persists in the plant regenerated from tissue culture. These findings are not (yet, perhaps) supported by good science.
Negative reactions to lilies
Finally, there are negative reactions to lilies that have been positively identified as H. fulva is a uncommon plant. Dr. Kallas says the only pattern he has observed is that stray plants are responsible. “That is, it is not a personal food sensitivity. . . . Anyone who eats stray plants will have symptoms. I have eaten many lilies before . . . and I have eaten many lilies since without incident. But I have not returned to the same stain that caused the problem.”
It’s a plausible theory. On the other hand, I know two collectors who ate raw lily flowers and shoots from different locations in different states, each time experiencing stomach problems. Were all these plants strays? Were these people simply sensitive to lilies? Would cooking render the plants harmless to them?
What does this mean for us hungry and worried pickers?
Collecting daylilies
It is worth mentioning that customary Chinese methods of preparing lilies include soaking and blanching. Tradition is vital. And I know of one Chinese Canadian collector (Shell Yu) with a biochemical background who meticulously soaks buds and fresh flowers AND removes anthers and pistils. These preparation methods have been studied in China — and even though the toxin targeted in the study may be the wrong one, soaking can leach the plant from another.
Bottom line: The daylily has been eaten for thousands of years and can be delicious. If you are not careful when choosing a daylily, you could end up in trouble. Triploid Hemerocallis yellow is the tastiest (for most people). Avoid wild diploids. Avoid garden varieties. And eat lilies (or other modern foods) in moderation.
One day we may know more.
How to Collect and Prepare Lilies
Tubers: Dig up the tubers in early spring, when the first shoots of the daylily are emerging from the ground. You can also dig them up in early fall, when they have fattened up again. They will always be there waiting for you, but they may be more limp in summer. Wash and scrub very thoroughly, using the scratchy side of a sponge. They do not need to be peeled. Soak or scald before starting the recipes.
Shoots: Teenage, tender shoots are best for eating, and I pick them when they’re 3 to 8 inches elevated. The most vital factor is their tenderness. Cut them as you would a leek: cut them in half, stopping just compact of the whitest end. Soak in water to remove the soil.
Buds and flowers: Basic, just choose.
Established Chinese methods recommend soaking the buds in water before eating them raw or cooked. They also suggest removing the anthers and pistils from the open flowers, using caution.
Caution When Trying to Grow Lilies
If this is your first time trying to grow lilies, make sure you identify them Hemerocallis yellow correctly. Eat a diminutive amount. If you’re looking online for more answers, choose your sources critically, stick to academic papers and university websites (and read between the lines), and absorb what experienced foragers write.
RECIPE: Stewed Daylily Shoots
Portion for 2 people as a main course, for 4 people as a starter
Spring daylily shoots have a fragile flavor reminiscent of the sweetness of slow-cooked leeks. Eat them sultry or cool as an appetizer or side dish, add them to sophisticated broths like Wild Roast Salmon with Spring Forages, layer them with slim sheets of fresh pasta, or—my personal favorite—simply place the melt-in-your-mouth tender shoots on a hearty toast with a pinch of Ramp Leaf salt, a little chopped wild garlic, and a few hot cabbage blossoms.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
- 8 ounces (227 g) daylily shoots (12–20, depending on size), trimmed and well washed
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper
- 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
- 4 slices of wholemeal bread
- A pinch of salt from wild garlic leaves
- Field garlic leaves (optional)
- Arugula or mustard flowers (optional)
Procedure
- Heat oil over medium heat in a pan. Add shoots one at a time later.
- Pour in water, season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 20 minutes.
- Add lemon juice, turn over shoots and cook for another 15 minutes.
- For the last 5 minutes, boost the heat to medium-high to evaporate any remaining liquid.
- Toast the bread and drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Place daylily shoots on top, lightly season with salt from wild garlic leaves and, if using, scatter field garlic leaves and flowers on top.