Hello. I'm new to this forum and really enjoy the wonderful pictures everyone is posting of their daylilies. The daylily picture I'm posting is of Mary's Baby. I really like this daylily, but due to circumstances I regret, I inadvertently imported rust into my garden this year for the first time ever. Mary's Baby got a case of it. So I'm asking for suggestions for any daylily similar in color and height (27-30 inches). The only other requirement is that it be sunfast/colorfast (which Mary's Baby is)....thank you in advance.....Maryl

Maryl,



I have Mary's Baby, too, and really like it. Also have:

Dracula
Bela Lugosi
Mary Lightfine (which is lighter)
Francis of Assisi
Vatican City
Wait Until Dark
Dominic

All of them are in similar color ranges, some with more blue or more browny-red undertones. All are doing well in Texas' morning sun. Some have high shade after 1:00 or so for rest of the day, some have high shade from about 1:00 to about 2:30, then shade again from 5:30 through the rest of evening. Darker Shade, Quote the Raven, and Sanford Winery are darker/browner, but still with blooms good in sun.

People here are generous with advice and time, so I am sure you will receive many other suggestions.

Debra

Welcome Meryl
If your asking for daylilies that will not get rust I do not know of any.

Serena Dark Horse is an older one that I have had for many years and it is a super garden performer.

Thank you Debra for the list. Vatican City especially appeals to me and I almost bought Bela Lugosi this spring. Thanks for reminding me of it. I will need to check out the others you mentioned as well....Thanks Fred for the greeting. I've seen some of your daylilies when I was lurking and they are stunning. Having never had rust before it has been a learning curve for me. Fortunately most of my daylilies haven't shown any symptoms, and almost all that did were the new cultivars I bought from California and southern Texas last fall and this spring. I knew better then to buy from places that don't have cold winters, but I succumbed to a pretty face (lol). I'm hoping that our normal cold winter will kill the rust on a couple that I may decide to keep. All the other rusters I've just pitched......Hemlady, that's an awfully pretty one and I'm going to check it out. So far on my list I've got All American Plum and Strutter's Ball and they aren't exactly new ones either. Appreciate all the suggestions.......Maryl

I remember when I had rust in 2001. No one knew much about it then. I was afraid all my plants would die.

But, they didn't.

And, rust has never come back.

I had at least 7,000 seedlings, and perhaps 1000 named cultivars. There were only a handful that showed zero symptoms.

It is a shame you got rid of the ones showing rust. Cutting affected foliage, spraying and cold winter would have probably solved it for you.

However, I don't thnk Strutters Ball, although a fine classic daylily will take the place of Mary's Baby. The newer purples are so nice and rich.

Bela Lugosi... I bought it the year after it came out, for $200, from the hybridizer. It remains one of my very favorite purples. I suggest that you get a piece from Curt, or check out ATP member "lilylady" to see if she has some for sale. The nursery trade has taken it to tissue culture, and it is being sold at big box stores all over. I have seen some of these TC plants growing in gardens, and they did NOT measure up to a field grown division that has not been TC. Lilylady has been collecting Hanson's for years, and is likely to have it if you don't want to order it from Curt. I also have had good luck with a lot of John Rice's purples.

That is really encouraging to know that you experienced rust, yet today you are rust free. Although I pitched most of my rusters there are some, like Mary's Baby, I like so much that I'm hoping I can keep long enough for winter to do its thing. Mary's Baby is a two year old and last year, before the importation of rust, was disease free. I feel she deserves a second chance if possible.....I am cutting back the foliage of any daylilies I see with rust pustules and since I already spray Banner Maxx for my roses, am including the daylilies when I spray....Thanks for the point about the newer "purple" daylilies being more lush then previous dark ones. That's something I hadn't thought about and don't have the experience that larger growers do. I certainly don't want dead, flat, lusterless colors without any depth to them. Mary's Baby is none of that....I knew about TC on some daylilies through some mail order companies, but wasn't aware of the fact the Bela Lugosi has/is being subjected to it. Needed that caveat.......I've been looking at everyones suggestions, and welcome more if anyone has any others to add. Hanson has a couple that "look" good, Den of Iniquity and Robert Johnson, and Benz has one called Royal Warrant that "looks" luscious too, although I hear obtaining his daylilies can be problematic. Anyway, thanks for your experience and encouragement.........Maryl

Oh, I am glad you did not get rid of Mary's Baby. I must have read that wrong.

I grew Robert Johnson for many years. I really like it. Due to health, I had to cut way, way back on the garden, so I no longer grow it. Hanson's Through Dark Waters is another favorite purple. His Sleepy Hollow is my favorite really dark one.

I have seen very few of Benz's intros. Not that many people around me grow them.

An older Kirchhoff that did well for me is Midnight Raider. Nice branching!

Bela Lugosi remains the most sun fast purple I have ever grown, with Sleepy Hollow a close second.

John Rice's Possible Side Effects started blooming here today. It is another nice one. Bob Carr, now deceased, had one called African Grape that was very nice. I have not grown many Moldovan purples, but he was also known for purple, same as Hanson is.

Lyle grows a lot of nice purples. Maybe he will weigh in on this.