Single Daylilies

Single daylilies in their myriad colors are by far the most popular form. The flower has a pleasing simplicity that so many gardeners and enthusiasts find serene and peaceful. While many people love the doubles, minis, spiders, or complex patterns, the self-colored singles have retained their devoted following.

However, hybridizers have not been happy to simply leave these flowers alone. The years have seen many hybridizing achievements, and new features have enhanced the beauty of these flowers. From what began as narrow-petaled triangular flowers, hybridizers have gradually widened the petals to form increasingly more round flowers. As the petals increased in width, ruffling began to emerge, so that many daylilies have both a round and ruffled form. From this initial ruffling has emerged ever increasing types of ruffles, from soft looping ruffles to tightly crimped edges on some of the newer hybrids. Indeed some of the newest hybrids are so ruffled that much of the petal is consumed in ruffling that extends well into the throat area. Ruffling has also led to several types of ornate edging, such as hooks and horns, shark's teeth, and heavy gold edging.

From the original color palette of yellow, orange, and rusty red, hybridizers have developed flowers of virtually every color. Through the hybridizing of the 1980s and 1990s, reds have been clarified and intensified and pinks have been purified into an ever increasing range from baby-ribbon-pink to deep rose. Purples and lavenders have been created in a broad color range, from a deep royal purple to light bluish lavender. A true blue daylily has not yet been developed but hybrids do have eye zones of violet through powder blue to dark navy blue. White daylilies have emerged from light pink and yellow to hybrids of pure ivory white. The black daylily has slowly emerged from the dark red and purple lines. Along with color range, flower substance has increased, allowing greater weather resistance and sun tolerance.

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