My imagination might be running wild:

does "FFO" mean "first bloom of the year"

and "FFE" mean "first bloom ever"?

Thanks!

Yes, "FFO" actually means "first flower open." That puzzled me at first as well.

FFO is first flower open on a specific cultivar in a specific year, it's not its first flower to open ever. I'm not familiar with FFE but I would assume that might be used for the first flower ever on a seedling. FFO recurs every year, so the date of FFO for a cultivar will vary from year to year.

I thought FFE was the first flower ever on a plant new to one's garden. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the way I've been using it.

DeweyRooter said: I thought FFE was the first flower ever on a plant new to one's garden. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the way I've been using it.

You may well be right, I was guessing. It's not a defined term in the AHS Daylily Dictionary like FFO, CMO and EMO. In your interpretation a new plant would have both a FFO and a FFE in its first year.

I follow the practice in Sooby's first post but that's just me since I do hybridize.

Thank you for asking Sunny. I had the same question.

Yes, FFE means first flower ever of a cultivar to open in a person's garden. I've even seen FFOE, first flower open ever... which means the same thing.

Thank you! I love using abbreviations, and I also love to track data. These two (FFO, FFE) will be getting a lot of use in my notes.