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Hemerocallis from seed

simbad

By simbad

11 comments


I’ve grown daylilies for around twelve years now and at last count had 102 different named varieties, plus one or two unamed, bit of an obsession, just love them such easy plants not fussy about soil type and as long as they get some sun will flower their heads off from early June onwards, still have several flowering now, never had one die on me, and never fails to amaze me how each fan will make a new plant.
Anyway having just bought a new book this year ‘The New Encyclopedia of Daylilies’ by Petit and Peat the amazing pictures of over 1700 varieties of daylilies, even with section on daylilies of the future, gorgeous varieties that are being trialled in America now, prompted me to grow some crosses of my own, bit late in the year to do any crosses of my own daylilies, and being a bit impatient thought I’d send for some seed, so after searching e-bay USA found a supplier, bought five packets of some lovely crosses, even though each lot of seeds will be from same plant all flowers should be slightly different.
The seeds arrived in less than two weeks, and supplier even included couple of extra packets, and only charged me one postage charge, really pleased, I’ve grown my own seed before but not specific crosses, just left to the bee’s, by sowing autumn time and seeds usually germinate the next spring after period of cold, but as there were only 12 seeds in most packs and one quite special one were there was only 5 wanted a more reliable method, a fellow daylily addict recommended sowing seed in bags of just moist vermiculite in the fridge and low and behold here we are nine weeks later with three lots already germinated, and 100% success rate.


Not very good picture but think you can just see black seeds with white roots coming out the end.


Two of the three lots were pricked out last week, (Siloam Prissy x George Jets On, and Star of Fantasy x Iktoma) and are already showing tiny leaves, pricked this lot out today(Calgary Stampede x David Kirchoff seedling, red with white edge) will have to wait two to three years for flowers but who knows may have something new and exciting, can’t include pictures as don’t have any of my own but can see what they look like by looking on www.tinkersgardens.com clicking on database and entering name of daylily then search, think next year may try some crosses of my own,really easy to do, just have to remember that you can’t cross tetraploids with diploids as they have different number of chromosones and won’t produce seeds, have just acquired half an allotment at bottom of garden,already have one to grow veg, so room to grow them on.
Here are a few pictures of my daylilies in flower this year.


Enchanted Rainbow


Parade of Peacocks

Tide Line

Cameroons


Inner View

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Comments

 

From someone who's only just taken an interest in growing these beauties - it's good to know there's a gardener with such a passion who will have the answers to any questions I might have. I've just gone through all you hemerocallis photos again and have to agree with you that they're brilliant almost no-fuss beauties. You'll have to take a photo of your huge hemerocallis bed next year when it's full of blooms.

13 Oct, 2009

 

They are beautiful plants and good luck with your crosses. Also thanks for the useful propogation info

13 Oct, 2009

 

Beautiful and some unusual ones there love the second one down especially

13 Oct, 2009

 

well done you certainly have some beauties! none of mine went to seed,the flowers just dropped off~do the seed heads look like lily seed pods?

13 Oct, 2009

 

Well done with the seed sprouting Simbad. You have some lovely varieties of Daylilies. I hope you have good success with your hybridizing next year.

14 Oct, 2009

 

you have some beauties there, good luck with the seedlings

14 Oct, 2009

 

What a great blog Simbad.
You are going to be our resident Daylily person !!!

I love those in the pictures and Inner View .... that's gorgeous ! I'll post my own picture of this one (you gave me) next year :-)))

14 Oct, 2009

 

Thanks everyone.
Will take a picture and post it next year Bernieh, its filling out lovely, can't believe its not even been planted a year yet.
Parade of Peacocks is a beauty isn't it Morgana, thats whats called an unusual form daylily, flowers are 8inch across, only bought it late last year as quite a small fan, thought I'd have to wait a couple of years for it to flower but has grown like mad, and still flowering now.
Arlene yes the seed pods do look like lily seed pods, the flowers drop off and the pod develops as small swelling were flower was, don't always produce seed pods though and sometimes they drop off before any seeds are produced.
Look forward to seeing your picture next year Louise, Inner View is lovely, picture doesn't show but it's diamond dusted, coating that some daylilies have that make them glisten in the sun.

14 Oct, 2009

 

I love daylilies as well. they are so easy, have started some from seed under lights, never heard of starting them in the fridge must try this.I have a few pictures of my daylilies. I have bought some seeds from the states as well, but have to watch the prices of them

29 Dec, 2009

 

Just looked through your pictures Pondlady, you have some lovely daylilies:-) pity you don't live a bit nearer we could have swapped some fans.
Seedlings have grown quite a bit now around three inches tall, although the freezing cold has stopped their growth now,can't wait to see what the flowers are like.

29 Dec, 2009

 

Wih you lots of luck with your new seeds Kathy and will look forward to seeing their progress.
Pondlady the seeds you sent me all germinated and grew into6inch plants this year, I have put them in my mini greenhouse and I am looking forward to see how much they grow next year ;0)

7 Nov, 2010

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