Excerpts from Southern Florist and Nurseryman, a trade 
journal, December 18, 1942, by Dorothy C. Sorrells 
Hybridizing Exploits of Texas Breeder 
SPOTLIGHT ON DAYLILIES 
Development in Last 50 Years is Outlined 
Streamlined after 400 years, the daylily 
takes the spotlight in horticultural inter- 
ests. Plant breeders have produced hybrids 
with giant blossoms of brilliant shades and 
midget flowers of exquisite texture and the 
coloring of tropical blooms. Ignored and 
despised for centuries because of its unat- 
tractive color pattern, the daylily has at 
last emerged from an ugly duckling into a 
swan of the flower world. H. M. Russell of 
Spring, Texas, has been hydridizing day- 
lies for 21 years, devoting the last nine 
years exclusively to this genus. 
Today 600 named varieties flourish on 
the Russell farms and 2500 unnamed but 
numbered hybrids are under observation. 
Blossoms range in size from tiny jonquil 
flowers to those larger than a salad plate. 
Plants grow from 10 inches to 7 feet in 
height. 
Daylilies grow in sun or partial shade; 
in acid or lime soil. The chief requirement 
is good drainage. Resistance to disease and 
fungi is very high. According to Mr. 
Russell, not so much as 5 cents has ever 
been spent on his farms for insecticides. 
Daylilies may be planted successfully any 
day of the year, even in winter if the ground 
is not frozen. 
Problems That Face Hybridizer 
The daylily, or hemerocallis, derives its 
name from the Greek word meaning “‘beau- 
tiful for a day,” referring to the usual 
flowering habit of opening in the morning 
and closing at sundown. Through selective 
breeding new varieties have been devel- 
oped that remain open at night. 
Hybridizing must extend over a long 
period of time. Usually blooms are pro- 
duced the second or third season which 
indicate the color of the hybrid, but not 
until the fifth season are the true character- 
istics established, making final selection 
possible. Final results may or may not 
show the desired color, texture or other 
qualities the breeder is striving to produce. 
Ninety-eight per cent of the products of 
hybridizing must be discarded. 
Selection is based first on color; the 
blossom must have an attractive color 
pattern. Second selections based on pro- 

fuse blooming qualities. Many varieties 
produce 30 to 60 or more buds on one stem, 
and undivided clumps often have 300 buds 
at one time. 
Much Time, Thousands of 
Crosses 
A further test eliminates blossoms lack- 
ing durability. Final selection is based 
upon height and behavior of blooming. 
Behavior of blooming refers to the flower- 
ing habits of the plant; preference is given 
the plant which sheds old blossoms in such 
a way as to leave a clean flower stem. 
Other desirable qualities are a long flower- 
ing season and late summer and autumn 
blooming. 
Having achieved the desired results in 
one hybrid, about seven years are required 
to produce a hundred plants from it. The 
hemerocallis is an herbaceous perennial 
and multiplies by root division rather than 
the bulbs common to most lilies. 
According to the breeder, the price of a 
plant in no way indicates its beauty but is 
based upon the number of plants avail- 
able. Many varieties now blooming will 
not be available for sale for another five or 
ten years—until enough stock has been 
produced to justify their sale. 
Color Achievements Are 
Interesting 
To the plant breeder the most interest- 
ing part of hybridizing is the experience of 
taking colors from one variety and placing 
them in other hybrids. Russell has pro- 
duced solid colors of brilliant shades and 
bicolors of striking contrasts. Giant blos- 
soms measuring 8 and 9 inches across have 
been produced in color combinations of 
rose and yellow, raspberry and lemon, 
violet-reds and yellow. There are other 
varieties in solid colors of mahogany-red, 
chartreuse, purple, and salmon-pink, and 
wood shades of soft rose-brown with deeper 
brown veins and yellow midribs converg- 
ing in a yellow throat. 
Hybridizers are working now to produce 
hybrids that will bloom continuously for 
several months of the year. 
RUSSELL GARDENS 
