Daylilies come in many colors

By Marty Metzger
Correspondent

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Anyone blessed to have seen daylilies knows they've been in the presence of floral greatness.

The genus Hemerocallis, like a champion racehorse, came from behind and strongly closed in on its competitors. By the 1970s, it claimed the title of bestselling perennial in the United States. Everything about the showy species explains why.

Daylilies certainly have staying power. They can be recognized in art, legends, food and medicine as far back as 500 B.C.

Now, add distance to time. The gorgeous flowers bloom at will in parts of China, Japan, North and South Korea, Siberia, Mongolia and Europe. They've been introduced and are widely cultivated on almost every continent, including North America and Australia. Here, the American Hemerocallis Society currently lists about 50,000 named selections and more are constantly being added.

The daylily is treasured from coast to coast. Besides adaptability to diverse climates, the genus proudly displays an almost dizzying array of sizes, shapes and colors.

Hemerocallis classifications of dormant, evergreen or semi-evergreen define foliage life-span. For show purposes, flower size determines category. These divisions are miniature, small, double-flowered, large, extra-large, spiders and unusual form flowers.

Although ranked by size, shape and foliage hardiness, daylilies' colors and patterns most elicit fans' "oohs" and "aahs." Every imaginable hue, color combination and pattern are to be found in near-white, ivory and cream, beige, yellow, gold, coral, orange, bronze, tan, dark brown, pink, red, purple, black-red and more.

One particularly striking daylily is 'Booroobin Magic,' a picotee-edged hybrid developed in Queensland, Australia. Picotee means the edge's color differs from the flower's base color.

Another stunning specimen is 'Admiral's Braid,' an ivory ruffled and fringed beauty flaunting a gold-braided edge and green throat.

New varieties are added through submission of photos and flower details to the national society. The description of the fledgling type must include size, shape, fragrance, re-bloom information and desired name. If approved, a new hybrid is named.

Area daylily devotee Jean Dietemann is passionate about her flowers. She brags on their versatility.

"They're so simple, easy to care for," she said. "Different varieties bloom at different times during the season. You can have flowers right into October."

She particularly enjoys 'Spider Man,' a big, red spider type that blooms up to two months, and 'Miss Jessie,' another long-bloomer with fade-resistant, lavender flowers.

Dietemann and some 30 others comprise the Northern Colorado Iris and Daylily Club, which, along with Denver, Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City, is in Region 9 of the national society.

The northern Colorado group meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the high school in Windsor. Every July 4, the club conducts a morning tour of members' gardens.

Some might think of floral endeavors as a woman's activity. But, Dietemann said, about half the club's members are men and more men than women hybridize daylilies.

One of those gentlemen is Weld County resident Dwaine Kurtz, club co-chairman with Dave Bowden. Kurtz began growing daylilies about 25 years ago when he lived on the edge of town. Everything else he planted died, but daylilies thrived.

He specializes in double-flowered specimens that have 10 to 12 petals. One of these, 'Condilla,' is a gold charmer popular from Maine to Texas.

Kurtz also recommends 'Centennial Snowflake,' which is white and 10 inches across the flower. "It's just exquisite," he said.

That hybrid and 'Gambler's Delight' are just two developed by Bill Crawford of Greeley. Kurtz named him as a world-famous hybridizer of polytepals who has had many genetic breakthroughs.

"There are so many faces of daylilies," said Kurtz. "And, hybridizing has produced the most dramatic changes in the flowers."

On July 7, from 12 to 4 p.m., the club will host its annual show at Fort Collins Nursery, 2121 E. Mulberry St. Admission is free and entries will be accepted from 8 to 10 a.m. on the day of the show. Prizes in each class, as well as best of show, will be awarded.

Last year, 37 entrants displayed almost 200 daylilies. The 2006 best of show winner was Dave Bowden's 'El Desperado.'

For more details about the July show, call Jean Dietemann at 482-2982, Dwaine Kurtz at 352-2044 or Dave Bowden at 484-5494.