Larry,
While I am a stats guy and was a math major in college many, many years ago....when it comes to daylilies I always start with the premise that if a plant is under performing, I need to see what I am doing wrong first before coming to any conclusions. PAINTBALL PARTY is a prime example. It's original spot was too congested, and surrounding plants always seemed to overwhelm PP, and it failed to bloom in both 2018 and 2019. I moved it to a newly created area where three crab tress had been removed....soft soil, plenty of sun, and it exploded like never before.
Here in northern Illinois, bud count and branching are not my main concern. Rebloom either, unless it's instantaneous. Vigor and fertility are important. A plant that continually sets thirty or more pods each season will always have a place here. There are a few special cultivars that have wondrous pollen. LAVENDER BLUE PLANET and a new one coming from me soon, name saved as SYSTEM OF EQUATIONS have pollen that will set on almost anything in any kind of weather. They will always be a part of my growing season.
I know that what's important to me may not be on everybody's list. I do think that registration has to start someplace....but for me, those numbers never come into play when I buy a daylily. Things like "sets pods easily" or "vigorous" are words that will always get my attention. Their are no wrong answers, just personal preferences which are to be expected and welcomed.
Telling me that a particular cultivar has five to six way branching and 40-50 buds doesn't float my boat, because I know those numbers will never happen here. VICTORIA JOSEPHINE is truly wonderful here, but seems otherworldly for Davi. Rust resistance is not important because even though I hate rust, it doesn't over winter here. I do appreciate accurate images and think for the most part hybridizers do a good job....at least the ones I buy from.
I do see poor quality daylilies from time to time. I would never want to do a "bottom ten"...lol, because it always still could be my fault....lol, but we all set up our own wish list based a lot on what we see in our own gardens, and I think that's the way it should be.
Me
