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——___—-_——_THE HOUSTON PRESS— __ FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1943— 
Six-Year-Old Lily Farm at Spring Proves Worth 
To Houston Area; Many New Varieties Developed 
Mrs. Meysenburg 
Enthusiastic Over 
Russell Hybrids 
_ Nearly six years ago there was 
‘an article in the Garden Page of 
_ The Houston Press telling vf the 
arrival of a hybridizer of hemero-| 
callis, H. M. Russell from South: 
Carolina. The Chamber of Com- 
merce announced that Mr. Russell 
would start a day-lily farm in Hous- 
ton, due to the excellence of the 
soil and climatic conditions of the 
Houston area, An extensive research 
and hybridization were planned for 
the lily farm. 
Tcday, there is a nine-acre lily 
farm established at Spring, 23 miles 
from Houston with more than a 
half million plants. 
Many lilies are in full bloom on: 
each clump, with vivid colorings 
ranging from yellow to orange and 
many new varieties showing reds to 
purple. Our two ordinary day lilies, 
{the flava and the fulva, have been 
used in gardens in this country for 
more than 100 years and were tek- 
en into Europe from the Orient 
about 300 years ago. Sitting in the 
corners, these two Cinderellas in 
their yellow and orange dresses had 
to be content with blooming only 
for a day and closing up at night, 
with only a few variations in their 
attire. Their Greek botanical name, 
“Hemerocallis,” means “Beauty for 
a Day,” and in the language of 
flowers, they have been called “Co-| 
quettes.” | 
| 
The fulva doesn’t make seeds, so 
the flava has been worked overtime 
in the hybridization with the fulva, 
;and other species furnishing pol- 
ilen to diversify the colorings. Thir- 
teen other species found in Europe’ 
have been used by Mr. Russell to 
obtain new varieties. Many of the 
new lilies have been crossed and 
hybridized for 15 generations and 
Mr. Russell with his patience and 
skill has developed lilies which will 
remain open for the night, have! 
many new colorings, different tex-|sel] 1942, has a brilliant flower 
tures, a larger expanse in the open-jwith dark mahogany red petals 
ing of the throat and have been| with almost black eye zone. The 
climatized to withstand heat, ex-|:epals are a lighter shade with the 
treme cold and to defy the floods/throat a deep orange. This variety 
and heavy rains. with its velvety satin sheen defies 
The lily farm was visited after|pur hottest sun and blooms in May 
severe rain and the blossom of the/and June. 
well known Hyperion couldn’t com-{ Mr, Russell peinted out the fol- 
pare with the new bybrid, Mrs. B. lowing varieties as favorites: Quote 
F. Bonner, This new lily, a clear|Me (the name given by Pat Flem- 
pale yellow color with the size much|ing of the park system when Mr. 


larger than the Hyperion and the|Russell was describing it in ex- 
bloom much earlier, held its bloom}travagant ternts), On Tour, Emily 
erect and open after the rain. Brown, War Path, Lo, the Wind, 
BROWNISH-RED Fiesta, Tejas, Ruth Zant, Betty 
The Marguerite Palmer, named a Painted Lady, eats Fe, 
for the garden editor of The Press,|~\\°y. Seas, Joy Russell, Juarez, 
Old Vintage, Queen of Daijas, Mar- 
has a bloom with petals fully re- 3 tind Fs 
garet Slaughter, Annis Victoria 
flex and four and half inches in Russell, Purle Wat ani © 
diameter in the rounded bloom. a pa ’ : “ae 
This new variety is brownish red|°®8°: 
in color with a salmon sheen. It|BECOMES ENTHUSIAST 
is a twice bloomer, appearing in| Mrs. R. C. Meysenburg, 5401 Car- 
both spring and fall. The Mary|oline, who has been horticultural 
Rice Fuller, named for the mother|advisor for the Southwest region 
of Is Palmer, is a 1943 Russell|of the Garden Club of America, has 
hybrit, with petals a soft canary|become an enthusiast in planting 
yellow with a distinct deep rose the Russell hybrids and one garden 
eye zone, ‘The sepals are lemon bed is filleq with the choicest va- 
colored, giving the softest and most|rieties. She is proud of her “Red 
pleasing effect. It blooms in April|Emperor, “so appropriately 
and May and again in late sum-|named,” she said, “for the blos- 
mer. The Pride of Houston, a Rus-|soms are very large with reddish 
This is an article by the Garden editor of a 
daily newspaper of Houston, Texas 
% 
brown colorings.” flourishing under a varied range of 
One clump of the Marguerite|soil and climatic conditions. Wet 
Palmer bas been tn profuse bloom|or dry, acid or lime, sand or clay, 
and by its side, the Mary Rice Ful-|sun or shade, they pursue their) 
ler has been producing bleoms, The|habits of giving charm to the gar- 
Santa Fe is one of her favorites|den and strange to say, they have 
and also the Seven Seas, Spit Fire,|no attractions for insects. 
Sylvia, San Jacinto. Her Purple} when Mr. Russell hybridizes to 
Sage is a deep wine color, almost)pring in new varieties, each seed 
purple with the petals ruffled, hav-/from the flower crossed with other 
ing a slight yellow mid-rib. The|pollen is planted and not one of 
Belle of Georgia is a pale yellow,/the many is discarded for it is 
overcast with color and markingSinever known which seed will pro- 
similarly to a ripe peach. The/quce the choice flower, These are 
Crystal Fairy is a light salmon pink) marked and watched for several 
with medium size blooms. generations. The cuwls are dis- 
COLORINGS VARIED carded. 
“There is no reason for any one| “See that field,” said Mr. Russell, 
to tire of the colorings of day|“the pigs will be turned in there 
lilies,” said Mr. Russell, “for they|to feed on the roots. “To the cas- 
are so varied, ‘Too, they do not|ual observer, the lifies seemed to be) 
ursurp the garden for the hybrids|the best varieties but to Mr. Russell 
do ‘not send out runners and they|there were faults in them, 
remain in compact clumps. The| “There is a difference for a true 
division can be left alone from year| variety has life, sheen, color, vigor 
to year, making larger clumps and|—it is alive,” he said. “These oth- 
producing more blooms each sea-jers do not come up to standard! 
son. With selecting different va-|and will not be allowed to grow in) 
rieties, day lilies can be in bloomjany one’s garden.” | 
in the garden for four or five] Shipments have been made to 
months of the year. The varietiesj}every state in the Union, Canada 
also differ in height.” and Mexico and the industly has, 
Another interesting feature of|}grown until it has become an asset 
the day lilies is ‘heir hardiness,|to industrial Houston. 

