Larry, I just took a peak at your daylilies for sale and can't wait to read more of your blog about the daylilies. Very fascinating about H. Larry's Obsession.

I used to think orange daylilies were blah too!

Larry there are several evergreens worth mentioning to you that do well here in the north King's Favor one of my favorites, Kea Lihi, Mariner's Cove, Mayfair Morning and Waiting In The Wings likely not listed by growers. I have photos of some of these in the database.

From your list I have or had 77 sometimes I just want a different daylily and change them out for others. Most of the 77 are still in my garden. I do mulch my garden with shredded leaves in fall if I have time sometimes parts of the garden get none or little fall mulch.

I lost Tusk last winter It was planted in the Fall.

I lost Tusk last winter too! Planted early fall.

Ive lost it twice in the south

Tusk doesn't seem to have a good track record anywhere. Mine was planted in the spring, it was four fans when I planted it. It is currently covered with leaves. Hoping for the best!

Great feedback, everyone, and thanks for the thumbs!

This is really helpful!

I find 34 plants on the list that I grow in a zone 4a garden which have proved hardy, and numerous others which lasted for a couple of seasons and then died.
A number of them are notably slower to increase and flower: Cortina for example, I've had for many, many years never blooming or growing. I'd decided that it'd be going in the compost pile this year but, amazingly it bloomed and really began growing! I've never heard that threatening mayhem would motivate plants, but it may have worked in this instance!

Jane Trimmer, Pagan Ritual, Better By Design, Beyond Riches, and Boundless Beauty are just a few from the list that truly excel here!

The winter weather has been milder here over much of the past 10 years, but cooling in the last 2 winters: lows of -30F both of the last two years, but no -40 (or worse). (Fun fact: -40 is the same in Celsius or Fahrenheit - damn cold!)

Thanks again for creating this wonderful resource- you've saved me a bundle!

Keith, thanks for bumping this thread up.
Update on my end: Tusk survived its first winter here. Frog's Eye survived and bloomed. No bloom from Tusk this year. No decrease in fans. Looking forward to 2016 like the rest of you .
Boundless Beauty is a stalwart here.


Frog's Eyes



Boundless Beauty

My friend grows a nice clump of Boundless Beauty! Glad that it did well for you too. I added it this year so I am looking forrward to seeing it bloom next season.

Frog's Eye sure is a vivid green!

Teresa you will not be disappointed with the varying shapes that Boundless Beauty produces.

Frog's Eye did not make it my zone.

Already posted Tusk did not make it in northern KY.
adding - it was a 5 fan clump. We are zone 6 with little to no snow cover and many freeze/thaws.

I have tried Tusk down here....twice. It never did anything. Bummer too. It was the first plant I bid on the first time I ever went to a daylily meeting. I mean I thought thats what you did...bid. Well...the Busby's still hate me Im sure, and the darn plant was a dud anyway.

I wish hybridizer's would not intro plants until they prove them a bit better. Just my thoughts. I REALLY wanted Tusk. I had thought about trying it again but after seeing so many posting about losing it, I don't think I will try again. We just have SO many to grow and choose from.

Teresa, I looked at mine today and it looked ok (still all green). No increase (4f), going on it's second winter here. I am going to add a little extra mulch this week.

I dl friend has it in Bowling Green. If I can trade a few fans for Tusk I might try it again. It does ok for him. Not a strong plant but it looks nice when blooming!

Lots of great information here. Thank you all.

I'm releasing one of my registered cultivars, 'Verdant Valley Oranges and Lemons,' for spring 2016. It will sell for $50 SF. If you'd like to try it and are willing to report back to me for several seasons, you may purchase it at a 20% discount:



I also have another similar one waiting in the wings. I need to give it another year to make sure the colors and markings remain stable:


This is 'Robin's Orange Eyelashes,' named for our daughter. It looks like a sib to VVOL but is not. It does share a parent. I'm really excited about this one. It is an extremely robust daylily that bloomed the second year from seed and produced 5 scapes! This year it had several prolifs. Prominent veining. Green throat flares out onto dark red-orange feathered eye, morphing into lemon yellow streaks. Basic petal and sepal color is vanilla orange. Lightly ruffled with an orange edge.

To purchase 'Verdant Valley Oranges and Lemons,' send me an email:

[email protected]

Please state that you saw it in this thread and let me know your name and address. Shipping is $10.00. Thanks.

Just realized I forgot to give you the stats onVVOL:


Cultivar: Verdant Valley Oranges and Lemons
AHS link:
Hybridizer: Rettig
Year of Registration or Introduction: 2016
Ploidy: Diploid
Foliage type: Dormant
Scape height: 42 inches
Bloom size: 8.5 inches
Bloom time: Midseason
Plant Traits:
Bud Count: 25
Branching: 3 way
Bloom Form: Unusual form crispate
Color description: Shades of lemon and orange with orange stippling and lemon wire edge; gold throat with green undertones
Parentage: Seedling X Seedling

The sepals sometimes quill.