Hi,
I am testing self-pollinating a daylily (one of several). I was getting pods on one particular plant. But this morning the pollen was white. Same with the plant next to it (a sibling). I found a few yellow grains at the end of one anther. Any thoughts? Thanks!

What is the highest temperature your location has had since the start of the year?

Was the pollen also hard and lumpy? or did it appear normal except for the color?

It will be interesting to see what replies you get about the white pollen.

admmad said:What is the highest temperature your location has had since the start of the year?

Was the pollen also hard and lumpy? or did it appear normal except for the color?

High 80s.

After I looked at it a few times yesterday and at the new blooms this morning, I concluded that this is not white pollen, this is no pollen.

This morning this plant had 3 blooms:
Bloom #1 - anthers but no pollen
Bloom #2 - 2 of 6 anthers had pollen
Bloom #3 - 3 of 6 anthers had pollen
As long as I get any pollen from this plant I can carry forward my self pollination experiment. My self-pollination experiment includes trying to pollinate EVERY bloom on each target plant. Maurice, it is not scientific. I have no real rules.
This plant is my own. It is like a supercharged Happy Returns (slightly darker) but it is evergreen. Regular Happy Returns don't do well in my garden.

@bobjax So, it isn't that the pollen is white, it is that there is no pollen?

Could the pollen have all been collected by, or eaten by, insects? - Can that be definitely ruled out?

You might want to try forcing open buds the day before they look like they are about to open. Remove the stamens while the anthers are closed and take them into the house. Inside you could place them on a sheet of paper and let them dry for a few hours. Normal behavior is for the anthers to open by themselves and produce fluffy "dried" pollen. Buds can be opened even earlier than the day before the bud opens and produce good (viable) pollen - the pollen is ready earlier than the day the bud opens (just that it has not dried). I do not know exactly how early one can force open closed buds and let the anthers open inside to produce viable pollen but one day is fine.

Might you be able to describe in more details how 'Happy Returns' fails to prosper in your garden?
Does it steadily produce fewer flower buds and scapes until there are none?
Does it not increase?
Do the leaves start out green and then steadily turn yellow before the autumn?
Does it go summer dormant and when it resprouts it is smaller than it was before going summer dormant?

admmad said:@bobjax So, it isn't that the pollen is white, it is that there is no pollen?

Could the pollen have all been collected by, or eaten by, insects? - Can that be definitely ruled out?

You might want to try forcing open buds the day before they look like they are about to open. Remove the stamens while the anthers are closed and take them into the house. Inside you could place them on a sheet of paper and let them dry for a few hours. Normal behavior is for the anthers to open by themselves and produce fluffy "dried" pollen. Buds can be opened even earlier than the day before the bud opens and produce good (viable) pollen - the pollen is ready earlier than the day the bud opens (just that it has not dried). I do not know exactly how early one can force open closed buds and let the anthers open inside to produce viable pollen but one day is fine.

Might you be able to describe in more details how 'Happy Returns' fails to prosper in your garden?
Does it steadily produce fewer flower buds and scapes until there are none?
Does it not increase?
Do the leaves start out green and then steadily turn yellow before the autumn?
Does it go summer dormant and when it resprouts it is smaller than it was before going summer dormant?

No pollen. Maybe ants. But no other plants affected.
I do bring pollen in early as a safeguard on one plant, but really not necessary.
If it happens again, might bring it in the night before as you suggest.
Bought several Happy Returns from 2 sources 2 years ago. They just stay small; bloom a little, but nothing great. I really don't pay much attention to them to see what they are doing. Saw one flower this morning. I think 5 plants are gone now. I look at plants around them, just don't bother with them.

I just theorized that the decline of dormants in Florida could be nematodes. But just saw a post from April 29 about nematodes in daylilies, which I should review. So I deleted this and will make comments there.