„It would be nice if some of them were miniature and could be planted as rock garden plants”. We are sure, that many of you often think like that. M. Kamenský, a well-known daylily hybridizer, thought the same 10-15 years ago. So he started to work on a hybridization program with the aim to develop as small a daylily as possible. Gradual miniaturization began 10-15 years ago, frst with the inclusion of hemerocallis Stella d’Oro into this program. From the thousands of new crosses, the smallest plants were always selected, and used in the next generation. It was not always easy to obtain seed, because dwarf daylilies cultivars used to be fertile, but they produce seeds only infrequently, and obtaining enough seed from a crossing is therefore always problematic. Because Kamenský is primarily devoted to the breeding of re blooming cultivars, he also included cultivars that have a long bloom season into the dwarf breeding program. In 2019, we will be able to introduce you the very frst results of this project of small, rock garden daylilies. First, we offer the cultivar Betka, which has small flowers and whose mound is slightly higher (not absolutely dwarf).

Hemerocallis Betka was hybridized several years ago, was not registered, and M. Kamenský used it preferably in his breeding program. It makes a mound of leaves, which is about 25-35 cm high. It is a fast growing cultivar. The second one is a true dwarf, the frst genuine rock-garden daylily, called Hemerocallis Kristínka. Its clump is only about 25-30 cm high, never taller! Small, apricot flowers with darker eyes have an average size of about 4.5 - 5 cm. Rich bloomer once established. .

Hemerocallis Kristínka (Kamenský 2019) Parents: Betka x (Frequent Fleyr x Miniature Mine). Small clump, creamy-pink flowers with dark green eye and green throat. This perennial has very delicately wavy borders of petals. This little perennial begins to bloom in early June and blooms repeatedly with short breaks until October.

Hemerocallis Kristinka

Hemerocallis Betka

Hemerocallis Betka

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