ARE ALL DAYLILIES HARDY?
Unfortunately, where I live, they are not
The Winter of 2006-07
Let me start by saying I applaud those dedicated daylily growers who purchase the best of the best new daylilies every year to incorporate the newest & best genetics into their hybridizing programs. If not for these dedicated growers, the modern daylily that is hardy in the North would be but a dream.
This story is about my experience. My growing conditions are not as stable as those in other areas of our country. If only they were...........
Our winters here are normally very unpredictable. Snow for Christmas is always exciting. Rain can fall on Christmas Day just as easily. Snowfall can build up to huge drifts if the weather remains cold after snowstorms. The protective blanket of snow can also vanish overnight when a mild spell comes along with rain.
This is very hard on plants. Most plants hardy to zone five & lower can survive consistent cold temperatures. If covered with a blanket of snow, most sleep quietly until spring arrives with warming temperatures. Even if no snow cover is available, consistent cold is not as harmful to plants as the yoyo temperatures I experience on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Adding to the fluctuating temperatures is our close proximately to the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean does not freeze and provides some warmer air in the winter to areas which receive a direct current. Our property is located on a tidal saltwater river about 10 miles from the ocean. Until the inland temperatures drop low enough, the water in the river does not freeze. This provides a microclimate for the yard. But when the river does freeze, the temperatures drop severely in the yard.
I lost upwards of 140 daylilies the winter of 2006/07. All were Evergreens or Semi-Evergreens. All dormant daylilies were fine come spring. It is my opinion that unless Evergreens or Semi- Evergreens have 'antifreeze' genetics in their background they are not cold hardy in our zone 5. I have found that in our climate, without the 'antifreeze' factor, non-Dormants can expend too much energy in the winter and do not acclimatize well to the change of seasons. My term 'antifreeze' is just my own reference to whatever genetics are in a daylily that allow it to withstand severe winters with no damage.
This does not mean that only Dormant daylilies will do well in my growing conditions. I have many Ev & Sev daylilies that are perfectly hardy. The trick is to know which ones are and which are not. And to be willing to take the economic chance. I decided to no longer be a 'testing ground' for hardiness of newly registered Southern bred daylilies. I now purchase only new Northern bred daylily introductions. By changing to this selection process, I have not lost any more expensive daylilies during the winter. By Northern bred, I am referring to daylilies that come from a location that receives real snowfall during the winter and also can lose it during warm spells.
Many of the daylilies that
perished that winter had been here for a number of years with no problems.
They grew & bloomed well. But every once in a while, Mother Nature will
throw a curve ball and it may happen again. I am hoping with my new
criteria for selecting purchases, the only ones that might vanish during another
abnormal winter will be the ones that were considered 'trial hardiness' group.
There is a saying "you should only gamble with money you can afford to lose".
I do still buy Southern bred daylilies, but only when I can purchase them for a
reasonable price in the after-market. This way, I can find out if a plant
will do well in my growing conditions without risking more than I am willing to
lose. So far, I haven't lost any more plants to winter. I am still
finding some plants that are not happy living here and do not produce enough
flowers to justify their space in the gardens. The flowers are still
beautiful. The plants survive, but do not thrive. So I now box them
up & mail them to a zone 8 garden in the United States. There, they will
not have to suffer through the sort of winter they encounter here. They
should be able perform as they are supposed to & give the gardener the enjoyment
they are capable of.