TETRAPLOIDS
In the tetraploid
hybridizing program, the original focus at Adena Daylilies was to be the
development of better northern hardy whites and reds, with a secondary focus on
edges, both metallic and picotee. While
we are still working on those goals, the primary focus at this time is on
developing northern rebloom and we have had promising results.
WHITES:
Our white program has made
some significant advances in the past 2 seasons.
Like that of so many others, we use many of the fine Stamile
introductions, particularly GREAT WHITE. Though
it is a slow growing evergreen, GW exhibits excellent plant habits in our
garden, with an especially good scape and, when crossed with rock hardy
partners, produces many hardy, well branched seedlings.
However, we are also using more and more introductions from northern
hybridizers. Melanie Mason, Phil
Korth and Nan Ripley have produced some excellent near whites that should be
better known and there are other northern hybridizers working in this color
range who are producing excellent plants.
Also, we are exploring a
path which others have traveled by crossing pinks with very light lavenders and
purples to get white seedlings and we are having some success.
We are also crossing lemon yellows with whites.
1
2
3
3a
The seedlings above are
from a cross of GREAT WHITE x J. T. DAVIS. Anyone
who grows either plant knows that while they are great parents, they also both
grow and increase slowly. These
seedlings also have this trait but they are so beautiful that I have hybridized
with them and rather heavily at that.
Easily hardy in my worst soil, easily fertile both ways, all three
seedlings are low growing on 18 in., heavily budded scapes.
Seedlings 1 and 2 will never be introduced (though 2 is the best white
I have ever seen) because they just will not increase, remaining 1 fan each after
2 years of bloom. Seedling 3/3a had
2 scapes with 3 - 4 way lateral branching with 22 - 26 buds in its second year
of growth, plus it sent up a rebloom scape and had a proliferation.
Unfortunately, there are only 3 fans right now so introduction is likely
a few years off though I moved it into a better bed and the piece I took into
the greenhouse this winter immediately put up a small side fan.
Oh yeah, one other thing, many
J.T. DAVIS seedlings have opening issues due to their edges. This
past summer, seedling 3 had 5 total blooms on all 3 scapes that were hung up and
not open in the morning, but by noon, 4 of those blooms had released and were
fully open.
1
2
3
3a
These seedlings shown above
are from a cross of DIAMONDS AND PEARLS x CLARIFICATION.
In a very short cross of 5 seedlings, all of them were near whites The
only reason I can figure for this result, coming from a cross of a gold edged
pinkish lavender parent and a mauve/lavender petaled, black-purple eyed and
edged parent is that we are seeing recessive genes going back to ADMIRAL’S
BRAID, a grandparent on both sides.
But ADMIRAL’S BRAID is a
very poor plant here and these seedlings are not poor at all.
They are all 24 in. or taller, increase well, open well, are pod and
pollen fertile, have good foliage, and are easily hardy.
Seedling 3 is the best; 26 in. tall with 3 lateral branches and a 6 in. bloom of excellent substance, the first photo (3) is an early season bloom taken
at noon and the bloom has bleached to a near white The second bloom (3a,
courtesy of Mike Huben) is a late season bloom taken before 9 a.m. where the
bloom is a pinkish cream and the edge is developed a little more due to the late
July heat.
1
2
3
4
Here are some more near
white seedlings we have developed and are using in our hybridizing program.
Seedling #1 is a cross of
WOMEN SEEKING MEN x WHITE PERFECTION and has a 34 in. scape, 3-way, wide lateral
branching, 7 in. blooms and is fertile both ways.
It is also quite vigorous. I
have
crossed it with almost every other fancy white seedling I have because of
the good traits it exhibits. There is
another nice white seedling from this cross, plus some pink and lavender
seedlings that demonstrate potential as breeders.
Seedling #2 is a cross of
SHERRY LANE CARR x UNKNOWN (most likely GREAT WHITE.)
Seedling #3 is from a cross
of
Seedling # 4 is from a
cross of GREAT WHITE x NORDIC MIST. This
seedling already demonstrates excellent potential as a parent as the 5 seedling
photos below demonstrate – the cross is PRIVATE SHOWING X (GREAT WHITE x
NORDIC MIST) The seedlings belong to Mike Lyons and I am growing them for
him…
