greentapestry : Daylily Identity Crisis

Thursday 22 July 2010

Daylily Identity Crisis



Now when it comes to going on holiday, I am always reluctant to depart when there are new flowers about to come out for the very first time. Just before we left home this daylily was showing signs of opening but would not oblige me by revealing its true colours before departure. We returned home earlier this week to be greeted by some amazing torrential rain yet ironically we have a hosepipe ban in this part of the country (normally renowned for being somewhat on the damp side). Some flowers had obviously been and gone in our absence but last night whilst hunting molluscs by torchlight, I noticed that there was a firm promise of colour today. Yeeeeeeay - I was greeted by flowers this morning ! I am fairly new to daylilies and must admit that I can't quite make my mind up about them. I find many of the flowers attractive but I am not always taken with the foliage, particularly as mine all seem to have large strappy leaves. Perhaps I should seek out the finer leaved varieties. This one though a gift from a friend is a definite keeper. She is without a name and we refer to her as P1070758.jpg -isn't that sad? I wonder if anybody could help us reunite her with her name?

6 comments:

  1. There are thousands of daylily cultivars, I doubt anyone could ID it from the photo. If you had any idea as to a name, it could be narrowed down.
    If you want a better looking daylily (grassy foliage, small, self-cleaning flowers), consider 'Penny's Worth.' It's yellow, but a good yellow, very small and long blooming.

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  2. Dear Anna, It is always a great thrill when something flowers for the first time. Certainly this Hemerocallis is a wonderful colour and you must be very pleased with it. I know that I should be. As for a name, well.....anybody's guess!

    In the past I had many of my Hemerocallis from Diana Grenfell of Apple Court Nursery in Hampshire. She hybridised many new cultivars and was a very knowledgeable plantswoman.

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  3. Sorry, I can't help with a name, but she's a beauty. I go on holiday today, just as my tomatoes are threatening to ripen, typical eh?

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  4. I missed all my Poppies this year when I went on holiday - very annoying. I think you just have to accept a boring heap of foliage as the downside to Day Lilies. I have learned to ignore mine!

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  5. I've become obsessed with daylilies, Anna, so I don't mind the foliage at all. But I've found the best thing is to camouflage it with other plants. Wish I could help with the i.d., but as MMD said, there are so many cultivars out there that it's nearly impossible. I had some similar looking passalongs from my aunt that weren't named, so I just named them after her:)

    Hope you had a great holiday!

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  6. I believe the Americans have explained how a photo of the flower of the daylily doesn't really help with an ID. There are too many similar ones, but yours is so lovely. Maybe give it a catchier name. I have one very much like it that came with our property that we call Elrod's Purple, if you need a nudge towards a name. This year the foliage was cut down after bloom. It will regrow and turn a fine yellow in fall. Those strappy leaves make excellent compost and also help hide dying daffodil or tulip foliage. Please give them a chance to win you over!
    xxxooo
    Frances

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All your comments are much appreciated and treasured. I wil try to reply to everyone who leaves a comment, but it may take me a few days, especially when I start spending more time in the garden and at the lottie. I know that you will understand :) I am sure that I will also visit your blog if I have not already done so. If you have any specific questions I will either reply to them here or you can email me at : thegreentapestry@gmail.com

Namasté

- Anna.