Creating modern hardy hybrid daylillies...
especially for gardens in northern zones!

Daylily: Butterfly Ann

Any of you who know me, know full well that my Mom is not only a HUGE part of who I am... but she's also my mentor in life. No, I'm not a "Momma's Boy"... it's just dumb luck that the most incredible person I've ever met in my life, just happens to be my Mother! Naming a flower directly after her is something I'd wanted to do since I started hybridizing iperennials decades ago... but coming up with what I felt was "the perfect flower" to do it with just wasn't easy to do! Naming a flower "Ann Owen" just didn't do it for me though... she didn't exactly "pick" her name, and though it represents her, it just didn't put forth her true attitude towards life. No... I just had to think of what really told you something about her and her "true" persona!

When I was a kid (the youngest of 6), and even though my Father had already passed, Mom certainly went "above and beyond" to make sure all of us kids pursued what made us as happy as we could be. A social worker, she encouraged our diversity and education... and gave us the confidence of super-heroes! In the late 70's, she decided to veer just a bit from her very conservative Catholic ways... she tossed off her shoes, picked up a tamborine, wiggled into a sun-dress, and burned her bra! Oh yes, she was a single liberated mother of 6... on a mission to not only be the best person she could possibly be, but to make sure that her kids wouldn't miss out on all the fun life had to offer either!

Mom has always had a thing for butterflies... I can remember all the magnets on the fridge growing up were some form of the bug. As you can see in her picture here of her celebrating her 80th birthday in the sky, it certainly fits!!!

Anyway, this flower, like my Mom, really means a lot to me! It's of my favorite color in daylilies, clear and searing coral pink. This beauty reblooms immediately (twice!), and is tremendously vigorous to boot! The clear and sparkling gold tendrils can reach 3/4" on mid-Summer blooms. Like my Mom... it's just plain gorgeous!

It must be noted however, that like Mom... this plant isn't fond of the bitter cold! It has trouble thriving in zones 3-5, but no issues in zones 6-9. I never had much of it to begin with... and since so many retail folks force me into selling them a fan or two when they see it, I generally only have a few double fans available online. True this year too, so if ya like it... get it! Mom will be proud of ya. ;-)

2020 Update: Mom decided Summers just weren't enough, so she's moved right on in with us! Having TONS o' fun with her EACH and EVERY day now!!! WOO HOOOOOO!!!

2022:  Very limited!