When a man climbs to the top of a hill, he needs to look back down over the road he has traveled to what height he has reached.
Likewise, to realize better the advancements that have been made with daylilies, we should compare the modern varieties with the ones we used to think were so outstanding.
Hemerocallis Society
Just 15 years ago, when the Hemerocallis (Daylily) Society had its birth in the town of Shenandoah, Iowa, the daylily was considered the Cinderella flower of the time.
In only 10 years, the number of named varieties had jumped from less than 200 to nearly 3,000!
Varieties Of Daylilies
The 475 charter members who attended that first meeting discussed the superior qualities of such varieties as
- ‘Ophir,’
- ‘Sudan,’
- ‘Hyperion,’
- ‘Sunny West,’
- ‘Thcron,’
- ‘Dominion,’
- ‘Purple Waters’ and
- ‘Baronet.’
They talked excitedly about the new “pink” hybrids, such as
- ‘Rosalind,’
- ‘Sweetbriar’ and
- ‘Pink Charm.’
The size of the flowers had been increased to an average diameter of nearly 5” inches, and some—all of 6” inches—were called giants.
Flower Of The Future
The usual narrow petals had been replaced with wider ones, as much as 1 ½” inches wide. Everyone was proclaiming daylilies to be the “flower of the future.”
How do the former top varieties compare with the ones we have today?
I can best answer that question by saying that not a single one of the varieties mentioned above are found among the 100 varieties listed in the 1960 popularity poll of the Hemerocallis Society.
Indeed, they can still be found adding their beauty to many gardens, but they just have yet to hold their own before the flood of 5,000 new varieties named since 1916.
A visit to any sizable nursery or hybridizer’s garden will disclose the fantastic improvements that have been made in the size, form, color, and color pattern—not to mention the improvement in branching and bud count.
Getting Bigger
It is undoubtedly true that all hybridizers have been breeding for larger flowers, but some have specialized in them, and they have, as a result, developed some enormous blooms.
Southern Gardens
In my travels to several Southern gardens this past season, I found one hybridizer with big daylilies everywhere I looked.
When new seedlings started to bloom, regardless of anything else, if they weren’t at least 6” inches in diameter, they were dug up and discarded.
Most of the flowers in that garden were 6” to 8” inches across, and many were even more significant!
Improvement in Size
The improvement that has been made in flower form is of more importance than the large size.
In addition to the usual tubular-shaped blooms, we now find them recurved or gracefully curled in many forms. Some are round and flat, like a saucer.
Petals have become more expansive, making the flowers more full, and they have also become quite ruffled and textured, adding distinctive beauty to wide varieties. I wouldn’t trade mere bigness for a small, gracefully recurved, or ruffled flower.
Getting Smaller
Improvement in flower size has been in the opposite direction, too.
Responding to the demand for small flowers on short scapes, suitable for rock-garden use or the front of a flower border, some hybridizers have devoted much time and effort to the wee ones.
Garden Tours
On one of the garden tours during last year’s national convention in Florida, I saw a large crowd gathered around one spot in the garden.
When I could finally edge my way in and see the cause of all the excitement, there stood a beautiful, petite, ruffled, yellow, and pink bicolor just about 20” inches tall.
Everyone wanted to buy it, but many had to be disappointed, as only a few plants were for sale.
Significant improvement has indeed been made in getting more transparent colors. The reds are red, with little or no yellow in them—the pinks are pink, ranging from shell pink to rose purple.
The Dream of Natural White
Lavender and blue are becoming a reality, and the dream of a natural white seems about to come true. Some of the lightest or palest yellows are now indeed classed as ivory.
In recent years, two significant color advances have taken place that has helped to make daylilies the beautiful flowers we now have. They are the addition of melon and green to the color range.
Melon Class
The melon class —that elusive color somewhere between yellow and pink—has taken the daylily world by storm. New varieties of this class are usually introduced for $25 to $100 per plant.
Although I must admit that some of the melon tones are very beautiful —especially those that tend towards pink or apricot shading — I believe the green coloring progress is even more critical.
The infusion of chartreuse or green in the yellow flowers has given them a cool look—a nice improvement in a summer flower.
Even more critical, the yellows are doubly beautiful with the change of the yellow throat to a pale green throat.
Most Beautiful New Varieties
Some of the most beautiful new varieties are difficult to classify as a color since they are blends of two or more colors.
Imagine a lovely ruffled, light pink with a rose eye-zone, a pale yellow flecked with peach and rose, or a delicate ivory edged with lavender! Instead of dreaming about them, plan to see them this season.
They are only a tiny part of the new look in daylilies!
44659 by George F. Lenington