You'd think that someone who doesn't have problems with roses would be able to grow day lilies! I'm looking at catalogs, reading up on day lilies and hoping that I can add a few to our front flower beds. Gee, just what I needed, another plant obsession!
Hi. Just a quicky comment for interests sake. Ref Daylilys they as with Hostas and many other plants have been well developed over the years with many new named varieties - very good they all are too. I looked at my plants grown index list commenced in 1957 and at that time before all this development the two Daylilys mainly grown then and still now seen in gardens were the original single flowered Old Orange (Tawny) Hemerocallis fulva and the single flowered yellow Hemerocallis flava. Many of the new varieties will have been developed from these two I guess. In the case of fulva its colours keep reappearing in new varieties. Worth reading of them.
Syd, that is very interesting! Perhaps my orange day lily is the "Old Orange" you mentioned. The gardener who gave me the start had the lily for years, and I think she said she got her original lily from her mother's garden, which would have placed it in the 1930's or earlier. Your knowledge of plants, and your "index" are amazing!
Jane, it would appear, from your photo, that your daylily is probably a tetraploid. Tetraploids were developed in the 1940's after the discovery that colchicine would induce polyploidy (multiple sets of genes). Since then thousands of tetraploid varieties have been developed. Unlike H.Fulva(which is sterile) tetraploids are quite fertile, much to the delight of breeders. The 'original' orange daylily H. Fulva, a diploid, was introduced here in the late 1800's from Europe and was very popular with gardeners in the early 20th century, including my grandmother when she bought the ancestors of my H.Fulva in 1905. One of the better pictures in the plant database is Netty's. Note that the petals do not arrive at a sharp point. Jerry
Hi Jane. I agree with Jerry your really nice plant is not H.fulva - perhaps Google H.fulva and see the difference for yourself - there will be pics of it. Ref my knowledge kind of you to say but I really cannot ( and would not) make any special claims for myself. As well as growing a good range I have always loved to read of the plants & their histories, origins etc and ( as we all) have picked up info and experience from it - remembering much but forgetting much also - great enjoyment though was had. My index is a very useful reference - I would never remember all the names of the plants I've grown without it - including species & varieties there is I think five hundred plus entries. Keep well and enjoy all. Best wishes. Syd.
