This is one of my Creative Design X Apophis seedlings. I held off stratifying till Dec this year, so can roughly estimate this baby is 4 to 6 weeks old. What fun it is to grow seedlings in the winter!

@admmad
Wow, that is amazing to see. I would love some thoughts from Maurice about the odds of a daylily sending up a scape in that period of time. I was out looking at my seedlings this morning for any sign of a scape after the 20 degree weather we have had...well of course I did not find any! I thought I was crazy to even be looking. Now I see almost anything is possible with seedlings .
Way to go Tina

Thanks Larry. Sure brightened up a gloomy winter day.

That's amazing Tina, Sure are healthy looking seedlings . Keep having fun!!!

OK, but the date on the photo says 02/18/2020

The parents are both listed as mid-season bloomers. The scape appears to be a typical seedling scape with just one bud. The seedling does not have an early blooming genetic background. My guess is that it is not a normal flowering episode. Some sort of developmental "accident" happened while the seed was developing in the pod and the growing point of the developing seed was switched from being vegetative to being reproductive. So when the seed sprouted it produced a few leaves and then the scape. Since the growing point was small only one flower bud was produced.

Now we have to think about any possible problems. Remember that daylilies develop by producing sets of leaves and growing larger with time. Normally when the growing point (shoot apical meristem) becomes large enough it becomes reproductive - it produces and effectively becomes the scape. Before it does that it must produce a new replacement vegetative meristem so that new leaves can be made.

There have been a number of reports of seedlings that were germinated and grown in the house flowering very quickly. Most of those reports have indicated that those seedlings did not survive their first winter outside.

There are undoubtedly many possible reasons that a first season seedling (that flowered much sooner than normal) does not survive its first winter. One of those reasons could be that it did not produce a vegetative meristem to replace the one used up making the scape. Another could be that it is unable to produce and store enough resources because of the strain of flowering (it used too much of its resources to flower).

@beenthere you might want to watch how that seedling produces its leaves over the next few weeks to see if it did develop a vegetative meristem to replace the one used to produce the scape.

Tina, Keep us posted with the growth of the little seedling and scape, and any new leaf growth. Bummer, if it blooms then prematurely dies, but hopefully the results will be better.

@admmad Sorry about the date, just got this camera a few months ago, ebay, new open box. Haven't done the date right apparently. My question is why would that make a difference. Why would I lie or fake a picture? I wouldn't even know how to do that! Very strange.

I don't think Maurice would even think that, but he is just very observant, and he certainly can look at the plant and tell it is just a new seedling. I did not notice the date, but I did notice in his post that he said most (not all) of the extremely early blooming seedlings did not last through the first winter. I think I would have to let it bloom and see what happens, but it did seem like an option from what Maurice said would be to cut off the scape and not let the seedling use so much energy blooming. Still, that would be no guarantee the plant would survive, my curiosity would make me have to see the plant bloom.

Set the date. Took more pictures. Is that better?

@beenthere Sorry, my apologies. "Just pulling your leg" - "yanking your chain", etc. I assumed that the camera date had not been set appropriately - It happens frequently with my photos.

@seedfork
There have been some reports where first year flowering seedlings lived through their first winter. The majority of the very young flowering daylilies seemed to be lost.

No one has followed the growth of any of the precocious flowering seedlings with details that might suggest why they might not survive their first winters.

@beenthere, if you can find it to forgive me - may I please ask that you take close-up photos of that seedling when you transplant it (or whenever you separate it from the other seedlings). If possible I would like to be able to see how the leaves have sprouted in relation to the scape. It will help decide if the seedling has produced a replacement vegetative meristem (growth point).

Hmmm, wasn't aware that Sciencey guy had a sense of humor. Anyhow, no harm done, and I was motivated to get my camera date right. Was just sharing a bit of daylily magic in the midst of all this mess.

@beenthere - Hmmm, it is very, very rare - but I couldn't resist.

I once shot a picture when I had video set instead of photo - couldn't figure out why I didn't hear it clicking normally, so I kept turning the camera around and upside down to inspect what was going on. Was a very peculiar experience watching the resulting "picture"

What's the cross, Tina? You must be half-dying from anticipation. So exciting! Please keep us in the loop. The most watched bud opening EVER. And are you going to dab frozen pollen on your magical outlier bloom? Yes, I know that's too much for the young plant and it will probably not take, but just asking.

Your seedlings look great, by the way!

@Hembrain the cross is Creative Design X Apophis. And I'am dying to see it bloom, will share pictures if it does!

Oooo!

Thanks for sharing Tina, I'm filled with anticipation like everyone else. Your seedlings are robust and your 'firsts' are fabulous.

It bloomed! Typical wonkyish first bloom, but I love that eye.

I certainly don't think that is a typical first bloom, who else has a bloom off of a seedling that young?
I am amazed that it even bloomed, and the colors are certainly exciting for later blooms.