AHS Daylily E-News Logo
Volume 5 No. 2
April 2012 
Dragonfly on Daylily by Debra Scott

Photo of Hemerocallis seedling with dragonfly by Debra Scott 

 

Hello!

 

WELCOME TO DAYLILY E-NEWS, a free electronic newsletter brought to you by the American Hemerocallis Society, also known as AHS. Daylily E-News is for all who share an interest in daylilies, including members of the American Hemerocallis Society and other horticultural organizations, educators, garden writers, news media, and anyone who loves to garden.

Our AHS President, Julie Covington, has written about one of her daylily passions in this newsletter: miniatures. Read it at your own risk of becoming a fellow mini addict! 

 

Also in this issue, we have a fascinating discussion of edible daylilies by the AHS Ombusdsman, Donna Peck.   

 

Our featured photographer this issue, Debra Scott, gardens in Tinmath, Colorado at New Day Gardens. Debra says, "while designing a new landscape in the rough Colorado climate, I was impressed by how well daylilies and iris perform here. Having grown up in the mild Pacific Northwest, it was a challenge for me to learn what flowers do perform well in this climate."

 

"As I looked for more flowers I soon discovered that, with God's help, I could make my own and then came my introduction to the wonderful people who make up the American Hemerocallis Society (AHS) and the American Iris Society (AIS). In short order my collecting and hybridizing of these amazing plants became a passion. My hybridizing goals are to create dramatic flowers that provide long season color and that are cold hardy, drought tolerant, and solid garden plants.  I am passionate about the preservation of both historic iris and historic daylilies."

 

If you are not yet a Daylily E-News subscriber, sign up via the link at the AHS website:  Daylily E-News .   


For much more about daylilies and daylily events, visit the AHS website (see QUICK LINKS on the sidebar). 

 

You may unsubscribe from Daylily E-News at any time by clicking on SafeUnsubscribe, which you will find in each issue.

 

We hope you enjoy Daylily E-News!

 

Elizabeth Trotter 

E-News Editor 

 
Thank you to Oakes Daylilies for sponsoring this issue of E-News!
 
Oakes Daylilies
AHS Announcements

AHS National Convention 2012

 

*** Registration is full ***

 

 

 

 AHS Youth News


Youth Contest on the AHS Membership Portal!

www.daylilynetwork.org

 

April 1 to July 31, 2012

 

Youth Contest ad

A drawing every month for a daylily!

 

At the end of the contest, a grand prize drawing for 'Skin of My Teeth', a 2012 introduction from Karol Emmerich.

'Skin of My Teeth' Daylily

 

Youth must perform tasks within the youth group on the AHS Membership Portal to be eligible.

Official rules posted on the Portal and in the AHS Youth News.

 

***************

 

New forum in the youth group on the Portal

 Trading Post ... a place to trade daylilies.


 

Refer to your AHS membership card, included with the Spring 2012 Daylily Journal, for
Portal sign-on information. 

  

 

 

   

    Daylily Journal Online Ad 

 


Ask the Ombudsman   

Donna Peck has been the Ombudsman for the American Hemerocallis Society for the past four years. An Ombudsman "is an independent, neutral party who is able to look at problems that come up in an unbiased fashion." The Ombudsman also answers questions about Society rules and procedures. Donna has been writing Ombudsman columns for regional newsletters and the Daylily E-News, and now the columns are available on the AHS website. In this series of columns, she will answer questions that may benefit not only the member who had the concern but others as well. If you have a problem, question or situation with which you need help, contact Donna at AHS Ombudsman

  

Question: 

 

We are organic farmers with a permaculture food forest in Santa Barbara. We would like to include daylilies in our designs and wonder if anyone knows which are the tastiest daylilies (buds and petals).

 

RESPONSE:

 

I love this question because whenever I give a presentation about daylilies I talk about eating them, and everyone is amazed. I used to own a restaurant and before the evening meal, I would go home and pick some daylilies and use them in the salads. It was wonderful for interesting conversation.

 

It sounds as if you already know that daylilies are edible. But for those readers who don't realize it, they are delicious! Dr. Darrel Apps, a talented daylily hybridizer, reported that he encountered a wide variety of food products made from daylilies, including sugared daylily flowers, in a shopping center in Seoul, South Korea. The islanders told him that they dig up shoots and eat them like asparagus in spring and then eat the buds and flowers later in the season. This information and other fascinating facts can be found in one of my favorite daylily books called The Delightful, Delicious Daylily by Peter Gail.

 

One can buy bags of daylily buds and flowers in many Asian food stores in the U.S. Or you can harvest your own. We have a friend who  went out every night and picked the daylily flowers and let them dry out. Then in the morning when he made himself an omelet, he would throw some of the dried petals in. He said it was not only beautiful but also tasty and healthy.

 

You asked about the flavor. The fresh buds have been compared to green beans and asparagus. Since flavor is influenced by scent, the more fragrant daylily cultivars may taste sweeter than those without a strong scent. It has been said that dried daylily buds have a mild beef broth flavor. Dr. Apps reports that red flowers are bitter, while the yellow, orange, and pastel flowers are not and are the tastiest. In the late fall and early spring the white tuberous roots are crisp like water chestnuts. By scrubbing the roots and slicing them, they can be used in stir-fried dishes instead of water chestnuts.

 

Daylily buds and blossoms have almost as much protein as spinach, more Vitamin A than string beans, and about the same amount of Vitamin C as orange juice! The flowers are good just buttered and simmered. The recipe in The Delightful, Delicious Daylily is so simple for buttered daylilies. You just take 8 daylily blossoms, 1 cup chicken broth, 3 tablespoons butter, and salt and pepper to taste. You simmer the daylilies for 4-5 minutes in the chicken broth. Drain, then add butter, salt, and pepper, and serve! Are you going to try it??

 

Some people do warn about potential disadvantages of eating daylilies. Eating too many fresh daylilies can create a mild laxative effect and raw green buds may cause throat irritation. If you collect daylilies from along the roadsides, they could be contaminated by automobile pollutants and/or herbicides and might cause upset stomachs or other problems.

 

Have fun experimenting with eating daylilies. It is delightful to try them out with your friends and neighbors. My favorite method is simply adding a fresh daylily to a salad and watching people to see if they have the "nerve" to eat it.

 

More information can be learned from the following book:

 

The Delightful, Delicious Daylily by Peter Gail

Goosefoot Acres Press

P.O. Box 18016

Cleveland Ohio 44118-0016

(216)932-2145

 

 

 

Daylily 'Mayor of Munchkinland'

  Miniatures: 

  Tiny Jewels in the Garden  

   by Julie Covington

 

 

My adventure with miniatures began some years ago. After becoming fascinated with Grace Stamile's and Elizabeth Salter's "blue-eyed" miniatures and small flowers, I decided  to collect every daylily on the planet with the word "blue" listed anywhere in the registered name. This quest proved impossible and foolhardy of course, but along the way, I developed a love for miniature daylilies. Several of those early purchases did not thrive in this climate and were sent "South."  However, most not only thrived but also grew, bloomed and inspired me to try a few more minis each year. I then discovered "popcorn" doubles and some other miniatures with incredible patterns, which when paired with high bud counts and excellent plant habits, proved to be an irresistible combination. Through trial and error, I have found that these tiny jewels seem to show to best advantage when planted in their own garden areas or sections so their larger "cousins" do not overwhelm them. Raised beds are also quite effective to bring these tiny plants closer to eye level. Often visitors will tell me they do not grow or like miniatures, only to be stopped in their tracks when they see a cultivar sporting 20-30 blooms at once along with amazing branching and bud counts!

         

For a daylily to be registered as a miniature, the bloom must measure less than 3" in diameter. As of April 1, 2012, there are 1,447 miniatures listed in the AHS database. Early pioneers in this field were Ben Hager (California), Pauline Henry (Arkansas); Lucille Williamson (Texas); Joyce Lewis (Texas); and Leo Sharp (Indiana) to name a few. Many of today's modern miniature hybrids can trace roots back to these early miniature registrations.

 

This article will mention only a few minis that have proven hardy and vigorous in my garden, situated on the edge of zones 6/7. If you do not currently grow miniatures, please consider adding a few in a space of their own. Particularly consider miniatures if your garden has space limitations.

 

'Blue Flirt' (Stamile-G., 2001) boasts 2.87" blooms on 18" scapes and is mauve with a steel blue eye.

 

Daylily 'Blue Flirt' 

H. 'Blue Flirt'

 

One parent of 'Blue Flirt' is 'Little Sensation' (Stamile-G., 1996) with 2.87" blooms on 12" scapes. This bloom is a creamy lavender with a fuchsia-blue eyezone and is a great $5.00 "starter daylily" for anyone who wants to grow an inexpensive miniature with near-blue eye. 'Crystal Blue Persuasion' (Salter-E.H., 1996) has grown here for years, and performs reliably.

 

Daylily 'Crystal Blue Persuasion'

H. 'Crystal Blue Persuasion'

 

The 2.75" blooms on 18" scapes are perfectly proportioned. Although registered as a pale lavender base color, in this garden it appears as a cream base with a slate blue magenta pencil edged eye. A recent favorite in this "blue-eyed" category has it all! 'Boogie Woogie Blues' (Stamile-G., 2006) boasts 2.87" blooms of creamy pink with a blue eye on 24" scapes, and it blooms 80% double. What a sensational little bloom this one is.

 

Daylily 'Boogie Woogie Blues' 

H. 'Boogie Woogie Blues'

 

Although many miniature blooms are diploids, Grace Stamile has developed a line of miniature and small flowered tetraploids that she registered using names beginning with "Broadway."

'Broadway Valentine' (Stamile-G., 1994), a dormant tetraploid with 2.87" bright red blooms on 24" scapes, is a long-time favorite. I have often counted 25-30 blooms daily over a six- week bloom period. 'Broadway Gypsy' (Stamile-G., 1999) is a 2.87" hot orange bloom with red eye on 20" scapes. Other favorites include 'Broadway Legend' (Stamile-G., 2007) a 2.87" cream pink polychrome with a light pink wash, and 'Broadway Nights' (Stamile-G., 1997) a purple 2.75" bloom with a black purple eyezone.

 

Daylily 'Broadway Nights'

H. 'Broadway Nights'

 

Last summer, this miniature bed was interplanted with Agastache 'Golden Jubilee', commonly known as Golden Anise hyssop, and Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'. These two perennials complimented the bloom colors of the aforementioned 'Broadway' cultivars. The agastache has bright chartreuse foliage, attractive in itself, and produces attractive blue spikes in midsummer. Veronica 'Sunny Border blue' growing only 18-24" tall, also makes blue spikes. I highly recommend these two perennials as outstanding companion plants for a miniature bed.    

 

When Jan Joiner registered the 2.87" apricot double, 'Bubbly', in 1989, it caused quite a stir, as it was the first of a line of miniature doubles whose tiny blooms later became known as "popcorn" doubles with each tiny bloom resembling a piece of popcorn.

 

Daylily 'Bubbly'

H. 'Bubbly'

 

Although registered as a midseason bloomer, 'Bubbly' always blooms early midseason here and I am just as fond of it as I was fifteen years ago when it was first planted. Other mini doubles that are particular garden favorites are 'Little Damsel' (Stamile-G., 2005) a wee 2.5" bloom on 10" scapes with bright coral blooms. 'Nano Probe', (Stamile-G., 2002) a smoky rose pink 2.5" bloom, along with 'Little Damsel', wins the award for smallest daylily growing in the garden. During the 2010 bloom season, 'Nano Probe' also won the "Energizer Bunny Award" for its continuous bloom. It sent up rebloom scapes incessantly until frost. 'Magician's Apprentice' (Stamile-G., 2002) is a striking 2.75" bloom of purple with a white edge. Although registered as 80% double, it doubles at about 40% here, but is strikingly cute even as a single.

 

Bob Tankesley-Clarke, located in Missouri, inherited the hybridizing program of Ben Hager, who registered quite a few miniature cultivars beginning in the late 60s. One of Bob's miniature doubles, 'Day Glo Red' (Tankesley-Clarke, 2007) grows vigorously in my garden.

 

Daylily 'Day Glo Red'

H. 'Day Glo Red'

 

These 2.25" neon orange blooms, registered as Extra Early (EE), are among the earliest blooms in the miniature bed. 'Day Glo Red' also rebloomed in 2010; always a welcome bonus in this climate.

 

Elizabeth Salter was working with patterns long before patterns were fashionable. Many of her small and miniature patterned daylilies were "before their time" and hybridizers who are now working on patterns credit her for creating interest in patterns as well as providing a strong base of excellent cultivars to work with in their programs. I fell in love with the tiny 'Jason Salter' (Salter-E.H., 1987) years ago and it will always be in my garden.

 

Daylily 'Jason Salter'

H. 'Jason Salter'

 

'California Blues' (Salter-E.H., 1997), 'Summertime Blues' (Salter-E.H., 1995) and 'Patchwork Puzzle' (Salter-E.H., 1990) are but a few of her fine patterned garden miniatures.

 

Daylily 'California Blues'

H. 'California Blues'

 

 Two other Elizabeth Salter minis of exceptional merit are 'Dark Avenger' (1988) a 2.5" black red bloom from which I've removed 40+ spent blooms on many a summer evening; and 'Mary Ethel Anderson', (1995) a multi-award winner with 2.5" blooms of cream with a red eye.

 

This article would not be complete without a mention of miniature daylilies I have seen, admired and would love to add to the garden even though I profess to be in the midst of a "cutting back plan."  In 2010, many of you saw (and perhaps as garden judges voted for) a seedling of Tim Herrington's which won the seedling award last summer's National Convention. This seedling, now registered as 'Mayor of Munchkinland', will be seen as a guest plant by visitors to the 2012 Region 3 Summer Meeting.

 

Daylily 'Mayor of Munchkinland'

H. 'Mayor of Munchkinland'

 

Tim Herrington has hybridized a number of noteworthy miniature daylilies. 'Everybody Loves Earnest' (Herrington-T., 2005) and 'Little Gold Nugget' (2005) are exemplary garden plants that are widely grown. 'Little Gold Nugget' is a dormant which was observed growing beautifully in several Region 3 tour gardens during 2009-10.

 

In conclusion, if your garden lacks these tiny jewels, why not try a few for 2012 and see what you have been missing?

 

Photos courtesy Julie Covington

 

 

 

AHS Source List 2012 

 

 

 

The American Hemerocallis Society, Inc., is a non-profit corporation organized exclusively for educational and scientific purposes, and especially to promote, encourage, and foster the development and improvement of the genus Hemerocallis and public interest therein. 
AHS Daylily E-News Committee: Elizabeth Trotter (KY), Editor, E-News; Sue Bergeron (ON, Canada); Ken Cobb (NC); Julie Covington (VA); David Kirchhoff (KY); Nikki Schmith (IL); Maureen Strong (ON, Canada).   
Daylily E-News © 2012 by the American Hemerocallis Society, Inc.

 

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In This Issue
AHS National Convention
AHS Youth News
Ask the Ombudsman
Spelling Lesson
Locate an AHS Group Near You!
Why You Should Join AHS
Advertising in the E-News
What is a Daylily?
International Seed Bank
Order AHS Publications
DAYLILY E-NEWS Archives
QUICK LINKS
AHS Home Page

Join AHS

 

Gilbert H. Wild Daylilies ad 

 

 

 

 

See Fine Ad

 

 

A Girl and Her Garden ad

 

 

 

 

Daylily 'Piglet's Mom'

Hemerocallis 
'Piglet's Mom' (Roberts-N., 1997). Click photo for larger image.

 

SPELLING LESSON
 

How to spell
"daylily"
 

The word "daylily" is properly spelled as one word. Many of today's spellcheckers and media style books incorrectly use the old-fashioned spelling "day lily" instead. The single word has been the preferred spelling for decades.

 


 

Globe
Locate an AHS group near you!

The American Hemerocallis Society is all about daylilies and people.

AHS is organized into 15 Regions including USA, Canada, and International designations. Each offers a variety of regional and local club daylily activities.

When people join AHS, they also become a member of the AHS Region in which they live. AHS Regions do not charge additional dues. Most AHS regions publish their own newsletter and mail it to all regional members at no extra charge. Members often participate in events outside their own region.

To learn about daylily activities and events near you, visit the webpage:
AHS Regional Activities


 

Daylily 'Fountain of Life' 

Hemerocallis 'Fountain of Life' (Emmerich, 2008). Click photo for larger image.

The AHS Media Library
Easy programs for your club--
 
OR... 
 
add your presentation to the Library! 
 
By Nikki Schmith
AHS Media Librarian
AHS Region 2, Illinois
 
 
One benefit of your American Hemerocallis Society (AHS) membership is access to rental programs from the AHS Media Library for club presentations, public education events, and personal use.

Over the last decade or two, AHS collected and organized presentations on traditional slide media and made them available for rental to AHS members. Many members took advantage of this easy way to offer entertaining and educational programs to their clubs.

In recent years, we saw a decline in the rental of these traditional 35mm slide programs. In the interest of supporting our educational mission and providing more people access to these programs, a conversion to digital media began.

Today, rental programs are available on CD in Microsoft (MS) PowerPoint format. Each program has a $10 rental fee (unless indicated otherwise); return postage and insurance are not included.
For a listing of programs currently available, go to:
 
AHS Media Library   
There are several great choices, but with an organization our size, we should have more: more to provide to outside, like-minded organizations to spread the news about daylilies; more to provide to local clubs to continue the excitement about daylilies; and finally, more to document where we've been, because we are headed into the future so fast.

With the exception of the classic Sarah Sikes presentation, "Gardening with Daylilies," all of the original 35mm slide programs have been archived and are not available for rental at this time. Some are being considered for digital conversion in the coming years, while others will reside in the AHS archive.

If you have developed any programs, please consider sending a copy to the AHS Media Librarian if you are willing to have it rented to members. You can allow such use without giving up your copyright to the images if that is a concern to you. A Deed of Gift form can be provided in that case, covering the use and disposition. No special formatting or programming is required. You could simply send in a CD of labeled images or a completely formatted and animated PowerPoint. You could send in a presentation you've done on hybridizing, dividing, planting or designing with daylilies. You could send in a presentation on conducting a daylily exhibition. The possibilities are endless!

If you are interested in the library in any way, such as donating, renting, and volunteering to help, or if you have questions, please contact the Media Librarian, Nikki Schmith at schmiths71@gmail.com, or call 248-739-9006.

We look forward to a deluge of presentation
s!

 

Charlotte's Daylily Diary

 


Daylily 'Baitoushan'
Hemerocallis
 'Baitoushan'
(Mahieu, 2003). Click photo for larger image.
  
Why Join AHS?

Learn about daylilies. 


Receive the quarterly publication, The Daylily Journal.


Receive a regional newsletter 2-3 times per year.

 

Enjoy a members-only social networking site with forums, blogs, calendars, and more. 


Meet daylily growers and hybridizers.

Vote for favorite daylilies in the Popularity Poll.

 

Participate in daylily exhibitions.

Become an AHS Exhibition Judge.

Become an AHS Garden Judge.

 

Have an AHS Daylily Display Garden and/or AHS Historic Daylily Display Garden.

Attend daylily symposiums, garden tours, meetings, conventions, and more.

Participate in on-line discussion groups.

 

Join special interest snail-mail groups.

Become a better gardener.

Form friendships for life!


AHS members belong to one of 15 U.S./Canadian regions. Those outside the U.S. and Canada may join as International members. Over 180 local clubs form the backbone of every region, and you may find that one of them is near you. If not, meet with local gardeners and form a daylily club of your own!

It's easy to become a member. Just use this link: Join AHS

 


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Daylily 'Yesterday Memories'
Hemerocallis
'Yesterday Memories' (Spalding-W., 1976). Click photo for
larger image.

What is a Daylily?
A daylily is an herbaceous perennial that will return year after year in a suitable climate. Some are evergreen and will retain their green foliage throughout the year in a mild climate.
 
Daylilies may be hardy or tender, depending on genetics, so gardeners should choose cultivars based on their local growing conditions

Daylilies belong to the genus Hemerocallis, from the Greek meaning "beauty for a day." A typical daylily bloom lasts for one day, but an established clump will produce many flowering scapes with plentiful buds that will produce a fresh flush of blooms over many days.

Daylilies do not form bulbs (as do members of the genus Lilium, otherwise known as "true" lilies).

Due to the distinctive characteristics of Hemerocallis, taxonomists have removed daylilies from the family Liliaceae and placed them in their own family Hemerocallidaceae.

Daylilies form a crown, with fibrous roots below and foliage and flowering scapes above. The daylily crown is the essential growth center of the plant. Neither true daylily root structures nor daylily foliage will grow without a piece of the crown.

Some daylilies form rhizomes -- special underground structures with scales and internodes -- that can produce new plants. The species or "wild" types often have this trait. Many modern hybrids do not form rhizomes, although there are some that do.


For more daylily terms, see the AHS Daylily Dictionary.


Daylily Seeds 

International daylily enthusiasts are welcome to request seeds from the AHS International Seed Bank. The aim of this outreach program is to spread the interest in growing and enjoying daylilies around the world.  

 

For more information, please contact Maureen Strong at

Seed Bank.  


Order AHS Daylily Books, CDs, and More 
As an educational service, AHS publishes The Daylily Journal and a number of other items, available at or near cost. To order online, go to:

AHS Publications
  
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