I have 2 daylily plants that produce these weird color patterns on the blooms. What causes that? Is there a name for this color blotching?

Here are 2 photos of blooms to show what I am referring to:

I am not 100% sure in your case but those nasty little bugs called thrips can cause damage to the blooms. I look at the bottom of the plant and if I pull a leaf off, sometimes there are little bugs and eggs. I start spraying with a natural spray containing pyrethrins, you have to repeat spraying about every 3 weeks. Keep all debris cleaned out of your flower beds because they can overwinter in leaves. I don't like to spray at all but it depends on your tolerance level. I don't have much tolerance for anything eating my daylilies.

Theresa - I don't know anything about thrips. (Will look that up!) Thanks for suggesting it as a possibility.

I was wondering if it was some kind of daylily virus that causes that to happen on the daylily blooms, but I don't know. Could it just be a particular color pattern. Both plants in the photos above have red blooms. (Though one has more yellow in the petals.) Or could it be coloration before the bloom colors stabilize. This is the first year both of those daylilies bloomed. Doesn't it take 3 years for the color and pattern on the blooms to come true?

Looks like thrips to me. They go after red and purple blooms primarily.

Julie - Thanks for also confirming that it may be thrips. I found this website on treating them:

http://dillardgardens.com/inde...

Because I garden for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees .... what can I use that may be safer than a systemic pesticide?

Yes, definitely thrips.

Here are a couple less toxic solutions you can use for bugs that I think I found here on ATP:

Murphy’s Oil soap solutions for gardening:

Daylily Thrips:
¼ c Murphy’s to 1 c water; spray buds when they first come up. Also spray rebloom scapes.

Iris Borer:
10% Murphy’s in water; spray entire plant.

I haven't tried it for thrips, but it does work for the iris borer.

Lisa

Lisa - Thank you for those suggestions! Do thrips die off or remain in the soil?

Becky, I'm checking your question on line - here's more info, but nothing on whether they die off or not:

http://www.ehow.com/how_578852...

http://pep.wsu.edu/hortsense/s...

http://forums.gardenweb.com/fo...

and here is a detailed description if you're into details - still doesn't say if they die off or not
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T...

Becky I don't think thrips die off, they just go through a continual lifecycle. Here is some info from the North Florida Daylily Society on thrips http://nfdaylily.home.comcast....

Thanks, Lisa and Michele!!!

Sounds like obtaining some Beauvaria bassiana (Naruralis O, Botanigard) or Spinosad might be the answer. I need to look closely at my plants. Living in Florida, it's a battle against pests and diseases. Longer growing season, but always a challenge despite the tropical climate.

I like to use Horticultural Oil for Thrips. I use Avid insecticide for a number of pests (and it doesn't seems to bother the good insects) and thrips is listed but it says it only suppresses them which to me means it doesn't do much so I add the Horticultural Oil (Ultra-Fine or Ultra-Pure) to my spray regimen and it works great. I ran out last year and kept forgetting to get more for this year and the thrips were horrendous. The oil is also good for spider mites, aphids, and other pests; it gums up their digestive system and also suffocates them.

Although I have never used Murphy's Oil Soap I'm sure it does the same thing.

Becky...I deal with 'thrips' on my red and purple plants by using the natural method of Murphy's Oil Soap. As soon as I see buds on the scapes about 3 weeks before the plants flower, I just mix up Lisa's concoction above in a spray bottle, and spray all my red and purple plants. It works like a charm. It's just part of my Summer routine. And it won't bother your butterflies, bees, ants etc.

http://www.missouribotanicalga...

I found this page that has alot of info on thrips. It has been my experience and also says in the article that light color flowers, yellow and white are most targeted. ( I think the damage just shows up more visually on darker colors) Also earlier bloomers are sought after as the thrips are needing a home lol Some suggest to plant a patch of light yellow early blooming daylilys just a little ways off from your main garden. This is to lure thrips away from the beds and target them to one area. Then you can destroy them. Don't expect any blooms of course from your scape goat plants. I wonder if fragrant daylilys are more desirable to thrips, or if fragrance doesn't make a difference?