The most interesting characteristic of this type is that it fades as it ages -

From a solid orange color, to white with an orange mid section. I don't think the spots (actually more like flecks) change, but they become more prominent as the background color lightens.

the four labeled flowers here are Type #1. The others are what I call Type #2.

I had much difficulty photographing the true color of Type #2. The petal back color is different (and darker) than that of the flower face. While this causes no ill effect for the human eye, the camera always "sees" the darker reverse, even from a face view, unless the background is dark. Consequently, even though there is pure yellow on the petal surfaces, in the pics, the camera shows it a greenish or muddy yellow. In future years, perhaps the flowers will be more substantive, and a photo op more becoming.

The pic below is as close to true color as I could come. (I should have tried a night flash photo.) The yellow areas should be pure sunny yellow., but the green from the petal reverse still shows some.

Type #2 has a variation in papillae/fimbriate projections, flecking and color. All have at least some papillae, and at least some flecking. Colors do not fade with age. This pic is also what I consider to be the best clone, although it is certainly nothing new for the market.

Petal back color varies from green...

To, um . . . this. A very pleasing color combination.

There is still one more runt that is tardy in its bloom. Perhaps that may indicate a third type. I might also stress that this is only the first year flowering, and temps have been hot in a less than hospitable part of the garden. Considering these factors, I wonder if the color fading in Type #1 will hold true in the future...

I really like your seedlings, Lefty. How are the stems for sturdiness? My Mdme Butterflies are rather floppy. They are in shade from about 2:30 on, so that might explain it.

It's interesting that they have segregated into two general types. Do any recurve back like Mdme Butterfly?

Waiting for the runt...

The runt seems to be almost stagnant in growth now. It is the one closest to to the lilacs and the neighbor's Norway maple (Grrrh), but I am still surprised at its recent lack of growth. It must be the heat.

No, none of the seedlings' petals recurved in the ball shape like Madame Butterfly. I am wondering if this, and greater petal substance will come with age. Most of the stems top out at almost 3 feet. They are in pretty much full sun, and none needed staking, although none grew perfectly vertical either.

My Madame Butterfly grew at the edge of an Amelanchier tree, so it always leaned toward the sun. Even so, most years I didn't stake it. Alas, last season it contracted a virus and was removed.

Sounds like the runt has plenty of competition. On the other hand, I have had plenty of trumpet seedlings planted in good places that never got very tall (like maybe a foot or so) and I don't think twice about tossing them.

Too bad about your Madame Butterfly. It is one of my favorites. Love those little flower balls!

Can someone tell me the name of these lilies, they are very invasive, one planted they seem to come up everywhere. They grow very tall and the flower is small.

Those are called blackberry lilies, and are actually in the iris family. If you snip off the stems before the black berries are ripe, then they won't seed all over.

Hi Doris,

Those are Belamcanda chinensis commonly known as blackberry lily. It is actually in the iris family. The orange ones seem to be more invasve than others. The named varieties are not so much.

To really confuse you, the name on Belamcanda has now been changed to Iris domestica.

They are doing some great crosses now between the vesper iris (Pardanthopsis dichotoma), and the blackberry lilies, which are non invasive. I'm thinking about trying some this year.

http://www.jpwflowers.com/intr...

Thank you. I just finished pulling them all up but I see baby ones coming up again, they were choking out my other plants.

Cross posted, Moby.

Thank you. I sure wish I had the blue (Soft Spot) in that URL.

You're welcome. Heart of Darkness is my pick.

Oh dear, I think I need that one for hubby's garden!

I wish they had prices posted.

I checked their order form and they're listed as 'not available'.

I have two seedlings from Citronella open pollinated. I'm not too impressed with #1, it's a bit too tangoey for my taste.


I like #2 better...

This is first bloom on a seedling from NALS seed lot #14-147.