this is my only spider and it was in bloom yesterday
only half as tall as the leaves?
Should I just cut the bloom stalk so it doesn't waist energy?


Last years bloom in July (normal time)

An interesting question. Do you know if it is a rebloomer, so that cutting the stalk might strengthen a later scape's blooms? A very pretty bloom in 2013. Is that the year you acquired it (and may be possible it had already gone through a first blooming so that you did not get to see the FFOs)?

Cinda, I wonder if it is what we call a "prebloom" scape? I know I have an image somewhere...can't locate it... of a prebloom scape. You indicate that your normal bloom time is July so this May scape would appear to be to very early to be a normal scape. Many cultivars will rebloom after their normal bloom time in most areas if conditions are right. If conditions such as cold temperatures prevent a rebloom scape from growing, the rebloom scape can resume growing early the next year resulting in prebloom. The prebloom scape will typically be short, may have fewer buds than a normal scape and most often grow upward from the outside of the fan rather than from inside the fan as a normal scape would. You can treat prebloom scapes as you would a normal scape or cut it.

Thank you both .
I am going to take a closer look at where the stem is coming from . Most likely I will just cut it and see what happens.

A great question that led to an awesome and informative "possible prebloom" response ... I'd never heard of prebloom before, or the description of how and when it may happen, so thank you to both of you!

Here is a thread about prebloom, with pictures, from 2011 that you posted, Juli.

The thread "Pre-bloom and Instant Rebloom - with photos" in Daylilies forum