DaylilyNut -- Hemerocallis 'Spring Flair'
(Click on the image for a larger picture)
(Click on the image for a large close-up of the flower)
WETZEL (2006) E Re dor. dip. Butter yellow with orange-red eye, yellow throat, 26"scape, 3.75" flower, 3 branches, 35 buds (bud builder) (H. 'Stella de Oro' x H. 'Janice Brown'), Seedling #96-01-23. Fertile both ways.
The distinction of this plant is probably absolute (it is completely unique in its distinguising characteristic: it is genetically albino). I know of no other registered daylily that can make that claim. It is a sport from a normally colored seedling (H. 'Stella de Oro' x H. 'Janice Brown') which initially threw a fan with variegation, then the variegated fan threw an albino fan which survived because it slowly generated enough chlorophyl to grow on its own.
The lower picture was taken in spring (May 11) during the time when the growing fans are a very pale yellow green except at the leaf tips. For comparison, the daylily has been planted next to Hosta 'Great Expectations'. The color of the variegation on the hosta is very similar to the emergent foliage color on Hemerocallis 'Spring Flair' At this time of year (approximately our totally safe frost-free date, and before anything but the EE species are blooming), this seedling can be easily identified from across the garden for its bright yellowish green foliage color. By the time of bloom, the chlorophyl has developed quite fully, and the foliage is no longer easily distinguishable from an ordinary cultivar.
Here's another comparison of the foliage with a near white seedling of mine (#00-07-22), which shows the distinctive bright yellow color with which the foliage emerges.
Despite being handicapped by an early lack of chlorophyl, this plant is amazingly vigorous. It blooms profusely. In fact it is both a bud builder and a quick rebloomer. The flower is a very pleasant reddish-eyed butter-yellow. Bloom begins in the Early season and continues into ML on two sets of scapes, which just keep producing buds. Occasionally it also throws a late third scape.
The vigor of the plant also provides good increase. In early spring the leaves can scald in intense direct sun, but even when grown with only morning sun, it blooms profusely. Spring sickness can set it back, probably because the plant is vulnerable during the time when chlorophyl is forming. It is slow to begin manufacturing its own food in spring. The genetic albino trait is also manifest by the fact that, as a pod parent, every single seedling I've ever sprouted from H. 'Spring Flair' has been albino. Fortunately it is also very pollen fertile.
The word "unique" has been so completely overworked that it no longer achieves the full impact that its definition warrants. Purists would argue that there can be no modifiers such as "very unique". Something is either unique or it isn't. Even from the purist's point of view, H. 'Spring Flair' *is* indeed unique. There is no registered daylily of any color, form, ploidy, size, or bloom season, which displays the bright light-yellow foliage color that this one exhibits during the pre-bloom season. None. Period. It certainly is possible that someday another such sport may occur. And there is the possibility that some day one of the seeds produced from a pod on H. 'Spring Flair' may survive and produce a similarly performing plant. I'll let you know.
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Pete Wetzel
P.O. Box 21
Eldersburg, MD 21784
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