This seedling from ANSWERING ANGELS X SOUTHERN DAZZLE changed during the course of the bloom cycle. Later in the bloom cycle the petals started pinching in the throat. I really wonder which, if any of these photos truly represents what it will finally look like when it is mature. The pattern on the sepals got more pronounced or maybe it was the pinching of the petals that made the pattern more obvious. Here are 3 pictures of it in sequential order from earliest to latest. I had posted the last photo in another thread and thank everyone for your kind comments. I have more photos, but they are upstairs on my external hard drive. I have a broken ankle and can't get up there to retrieve them.

Interesting! I have been told that it truly takes 2 years of flowers to allow many daylilies to come into their own. On the other hand, I wonder if the changes are due to external factors (especially if the bloom season was long) such as drought ~Jan

Jan, we did have some really dry weather, but I watered every few days. I wonder if hot weather made a difference. Who knows! Maybe it will always follow this cycle every year - it would be interesting.

I've had daylilies just darn near change colors from one year to the next. One in particular went from a bright pretty orange to a ratty looking muddy orange last year. I hope that it comes back into the good side this year.

I have a purple seedling that seems to change with each bud opening. The blue eye gets bigger, smaller, kinda penciled sometimes. The purple will look blue and then it gets kinda lavender.

I have some that were really great the first year and so far, 3 years later it hasn't looked like the first bloom again.

So, I know that they can really change. Oh, I forgot about the bloom on one of my really reds was just nearly white on a rebloom scape. That was weird!

Yes, I believe that heat can make a big difference. The plants that bloom early for me are always the prettiest. I like your first picture the best. I think sometimes this is why people think they may have gotten the wrong plant. You have a good bit of difference in those blooms.

Blessings, Mona

I believe that the only true water, is rain. I believe that watering will help with dry conditions, but it takes RAIN to really improve things. These are my beliefs. Granted, I too did a lot of watering this year. But rain, seems to make a huge difference ~Jan

Well,Jan, you have another believer. This past summer I had been watering my tomatos on a twice a week basis. I watered for atleast an hour with an overhead mist/sprankler. This usually equals about an inch of water. My tomatos began to look yellow. Now, it hadn't rained in over a month. I kept up my watering and added some miracle grow to the plants twice in one week hoping to help, Nothing! Two weeks later we got about 2" of rain one afternoon. I swear by lunch the next day, these plants looked so much better that I went into house and got DH. I was amazed. About 3 feet of these 5 foot tall plants was a very pretty dark green!! Do I think the MG just kicked in over night? Nope, the rain did it. Or atleast I think it did. So, Yes I still water because I raise my plants in pots and have no choice but to water, but I sure am thankful when God lets it rain!! Blesings Mona

Ann I love the first and last bloom. I have a feeling the last is due to lack of rain and the first is what it will truly be. Time will tell however, no matter which we want. It has in all 3 such a beautiful saturation of purple and such a wonderful pattern being mirrored on the sepals even with a lack of rain and that is a good sign. Hope it is glorious next season.

Steph

I also think it will look like the first photo, daylilies do strange things due to the weather. Outstanding seedling Ann.

I like the first picture best. But whichever way it looks most of the time, it will have the gorgeous colors. Who knows, next year it may be even prettier.

Dot

Thanks to all your input. I just hope that it retains its vibrant colors, especially the dark red that outlines the eye and edge. It will be interesting to see it bloom next year.

I see that red Ann and it is a sort of speckling onto the white petal in the 1st. pic. Very Very beautiful.

Oh yes, I see that too when I enlarge the photo. It is very beautiful.