Daylilies hybridized by Jack Carpenter can be found gracing the gardens around the world. Perhaps it is his hybridizing philosophy that “a moderately attractive flower having hardiness, vigor and disease resistance is to be preferred over lavishly beautiful flowers that must be pampered and cared for unendingly” which makes his cultivars so desirable. The success of his hybridizing program proves there is no need to sacrifice beauty for the wonderful carefree plant the daylily is known for, the introductions from Jack Carpenter have both.
Jack grew up in Houston, Texas and was introduced to daylilies at the age of 13. While in middle school he began growing and hybridizing daylilies as a hobby with his first purchase in 1955. Later college became a priority, but his love for daylilies became his career. Jack Carpenter owned and operated The Lily Farm, located just beyond the Louisiana border in Center, Texas, until the spring of 2010 when after over 50 years of hybridizing he decided it was time to sell the farm. The Lily Farm is now owned by Mark Carpenter Jack’s nephew.
Jack Carpenter has introduced 563 cultivars according to the latest update in the AHS database. His first registrations in 1971, ‘Pink Pasha’ and ‘Symmetrical Beauty’, were both diploids. In 1991 Jack registered his first tetraploids ‘Browyn’, ‘Mount Herman Melody’ and ‘Raspberry Sunshine’. Recognition in the AHS Awards and Honors system came when ‘Catherine Neal’ (1981), a rich purple diploid, received and an Honorable Mention (HM) and in 1990 the Award of Meri t (AM). ‘Dena Marie’(1992), registered as a dormant rose pink fragrant diploid, was recognized with three awards, an HM in 1997, an AM in 2000 and the 1999 L. Ernest Plouf Award. The L. Ernest Plouf award was established by the AHS in 1979 to recognize the most fragrant dormant daylily as observed by garden judges. The award was discontinued in 2004 with the last cultivar to receive the L. Ernest Plouf award in 2003 being ‘Lavender Blue Baby’, a 1996 registration from Jack Carpenter. ‘Lavender Blue Baby’ is Jack’s most awarded introduction. Receiving the HM in 2001, the L. Ernest Plouf in 2003, an AM in 2004, the Don C. Stevens award for the best boldly eyed or banded daylily and the highest cultivar honor the Stout Silver Medal, both in 2007. At the 2008 AHS National Convention not only did Jack Carpenter receive the highest honor for a cultivar, the Stout Silver Medal for ‘Lavender Blue Baby’, but he also had the honor of receiving the highest personal award for recognition in hybridizing, the Bertrand Farr Silver Medal.
Lavender Blue Baby (Carpenter-J, 1996)
Over the past few years the color patterns seen in the Carpenter diploids have gained wide recognition with growers and hybridizers. The first of these to be recognized as having an outstanding pattern is ‘Texas Kaleidoscope’ (2001) recipient of the 2010 R.W. Munson, Jr. Award for best patterned cultivars. ‘Cosmic Kaleidoscope’ (2006) another patterned beauty in the “kaleidoscope” series and a child of ‘Texas Kaleidoscope’ received a 2011 HM. Other 2011 awards were an AM for Jay Farquhar and HM’s for Pat Soileau, Ring the Bells of Heaven and Song of the Empire. In total 5 specialty awards, 72 HM’s, 8 AM’s and the Stout medal have all been awarded to Carpenter introductions. Even though Jack has sold The Lily Farm, his introductions continue to receive recognition proving the value of his philosophy. In 2012 two very distinctive cultivars, Terry Lyninger and Texas Feathered Fancy received HM’s.
Jack Carpenter’s previous and last introductions continue to be offered by Mark at The Lily Farm and on the Lily Farm website.
http://lilyfarm.com/
Catherine Neal (Carpenter-J, 1981)
Dena Marie (Carpenter-J, 1992)
Texas Kaleidoscope ( Carpenter-J, 2001)
Song of the Empire (Carpenter-J, 2004)
Terry Lyninger (Carpenter-J, 2003)
Texas Feathered Fancy (Carpenter-J, 2006)
