A Rainbow of Daylilies

Like many of the other collections at the Iowa Arboretum and Gardens, the Daylily Collection began as a small project supported by a handful of enthusiastic volunteers. Starting in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, volunteers donated and cared for a growing number of daylily varieties. Plantings were initially in the Perennial Garden, but daylilys were soon spread to every corner of the Arboretum as the plant collections grew. In addition to hobby collections and trying to amass contemporary selections, the addition of the Stout Silver Medal Award Winner Garden greatly increased the size and importance of the Daylily Collection. In addition, varieties bred by Iowans including Nan Ripley added to the collection, now numbered in the hundreds of varieties. In addition to the Perennial Garden, Stout Silver Medal Winner Garden, and the Iowa Breeder Garden, the Daylily Collection can also be viewed in the Iris & Daylily Garden. 

About the Stout Silver Medal Award Winner Daylilies:

Named after the “father of the modern daylily” Arlo Burdette Stout, this is the highest award given by the American Daylily Society. Iowa has one award winner (2019) named ‘Scarlet Pimpernel’ bred by Nan Ripley (pictured below).

The display of the Stout Silver Medal winners surrounding the Beckwith Grand Pavilion shows the evolution of the modern daylily over the history of the award. You will notice that many of the earliest varieties bear either yellow or orange flowers with fairly narrow, smooth-edged petals. Newer awardees often have wider petals and come in an array of colors. Diamond dusting, distinct eye zones (e.g. ‘Carnival in Mexico’), ruffled or toothed edges (e.g. ‘Entwined in the Vine’), and different flower forms such as the spider form (e.g. ‘Skinwalker’) or double flowers (e.g. ‘Dorothy and Toto’) are exhibited among the newer varieties. Breeders work with both diploid (2 sets of chromosomes) and tetraploid (4 sets of chromosomes) forms. Tetraploid cultivars generally have thicker flower scapes and flowers with more substance. The first tetraploid daylily to win this award was ‘Mary Todd’ in 1978 but since 1994, tetraploid cultivars have dominated this award category.

To learn more about the Stout Silver Medal Award Winner Daylily Garden, click here.

Nan Ripley Daylilies

Nan Ripley began breeding daylilies in 1999 on the 10 acres she shares with her husband, Merwyn, near Nevada, IA. A retired Office Manager for the Athletic Compliance Department at Iowa State University, she has focused on hybridizing daylilies and gardening for over 20 years. Over her hybridizing tenure, she has won a plethora of awards, including the highly coveted Stout Silver Medal Award from the American Daylily Society (ADS). Her garden and breeding work have been featured in Martha Stewart Living and was recognized as an official ADS National Display Garden.

Ripley has been involved in local and national associations, serving as a Regional Director for ADS as well as the ADS Educational Outreach program director. Her garden has contained as many as 6,000 daylilies at one time, and she regularly cycles through up to 2,000 new seedlings every year as part of her breeding work.

Known particularly for vivid colors, petal shapes, and diamond dusting, Ripley has introduced 64 daylily introductions with notable varieties like ‘Scarlet Pimpernel’ and ‘Bob’s Hawkeye Beauty.’ Her varieties can be purchased through her online nursery, Walkabout Gardens. Several of her varieties, both registered and unregistered can be viewed in this garden.

Iris & Daylily Garden

The daylilies in this garden are the beginning of a more extensive collection effort. Historic daylilies brought to the arboretum in the 1980’s-90’s are grown alongside selections from Curt Hanson from Ohio, Ann Redmon originally from Iowa, and Nan Ripley from Iowa.

To learn more about the Iris & Daylily Garden, click here.

Plant List:

Hemerocallis x ‘All American Chief’ – All American Chief Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Allafrill’ – Allafrill Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Always Afternoon’ – Always Afternoon Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Apricot Sparkles’ – Apricot Sparkles Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Arctic Snow’ – Arctic Snow Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Asian Pearl’ – Asian Pearl Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Audition’ – Audition Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ava Michelle’ – Ava Michelle Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Aztec Furnace’ – Aztec Furnace Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Barbara Mitchell’ – Barbara Mitchell Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Becky Lynn’ – Becky Lynn Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Bela Lugosi’ – Bela Lugosi Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Bertie Ferris’ – Bertie Ferris Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Bess Ross’ – Bess Ross Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Best Kept – Secret’ Best Kept Secret Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Betty Woods’ – Betty Woods Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Big Apple’ – Big Apple Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Bill Norris’ – Bill Norris Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Black Eye’ – Black Eye Daylily
Hemerocallis x Bob’s Hawkeye Beauty’ – Bob’s Hawkeye Beauty Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Brocaded Gown’ – Brocaded Gown Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Burgundy Bombshell’ – Burgundy Bombshell Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Burgundy Shadow’ – Burgundy Shadow Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Burnished Ruffles’ – Burnished Ruffles Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Butterfly Kisses’ – Butterfly Kisses Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Carnival in Mexico’ – Carnival in Mexico Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Carrot’ – Carrot Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Cartwheels’ – Cartwheels Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Centennial Dawn’ – Centennial Dawn Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Chance Encounter’ – Chance Encounter Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Cherry Festival’ – Cherry Festival Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Chicago Cameo’ – Chicago Cameo Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Chicago Gold Strike’ – Chicago Gold Strike Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Chicago Rainbow’ – Chicago Rainbow Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Chorus Line Kid’ – Chorus Line Kid Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Clarence Simon’ – Clarence Simon Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Country Melody’ – Country Melody Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Crossfire’ – Crossfire Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Custard Candy’ – Custard Candy Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Daring Deception’ – Daring Deception Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Darrell’ – Darrell Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Dauntless’ – Dauntless Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Desert Flame’ – Desert Flame Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Doll House’ – Doll House Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Don Lovell’ – Don Lovell Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Dream Legacy’ – Dream Legacy Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ed Brown’ – Ed Brown Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ed Murray’ – Ed Murray Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘El Bandito’ – El Bandito Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Electric’ – Electric Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Elegant Candy’ – Elegant Candy Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Elizabeth Robbins’ – Elizabeth Robbins Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Elizabeth Salter’ – Elizabeth Salter Daylily
Hemerocallis x Elizabethan Fairy Queen’ – Elizabethan Fairy Queen Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Empire State’ – Empire State Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Entwined in the Vine’ – Entwined in the Vine Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Evening Bell’ – Evening Bell Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Eye Catching’ – Eye Catching Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Fairy Tale Pink’ – Fairy Tale Pink Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Fairy Wings’ – Fairy Wings Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Final Frontier’ – Final Frontier Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Fire King’ – Fire King Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Flamingo Fling’ – Flamingo Fling Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Florentine Princess’ – Florentine Princess Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Fooled Me’ – Fooled Me Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Forsyth White Buds’ – Forsyth White Buds Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Frances Fay’ – Frances Fay Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Frank Gladney’ – Frank Gladney Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Full Reward’ – Full Reward Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Gay Cravat’ – Gay Cravat Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Goliath’ – Goliath Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Grand Masterpiece’ – Grand Masterpiece Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Grand Prize’ – Grand Prize Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Green Flutter’ – Green Flutter Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Green Glitter’ – Green Glitter Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Green River’ – Green River Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Gunmetal’ – Gunmetal Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Happy Returns’ – Happy Returns Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Heavenly Angel Ice’ – Heavenly Angel Ice Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Heavenly United We Stand’ – Heavenly United We Stand Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Hesperus’ – Hesperus Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘High Noon’ – High Noon Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Hortensia’ – Hortensia Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Hush Little Baby’ – Hush Little Baby Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Hyperion’ – Hyperion Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘I Lava You’ – I Lava You Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ida’s Magic’ – Ida’s Magic Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Implausibly Ancient’ – Implausibly Ancient Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Irish Belleek’ – Irish Belleek Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Iron Gate Glacier’ – Iron Gate Glacier Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘J.T. Davis’ – J.T. Davis Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Janet Gayle’ – Janet Gayle Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Janice Brown’ – Janice Brown Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Jazz King’ – Jazz King Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Jedi Dot Pierce’ – Jedi Dot Pierce Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Jolyene Nicole’ – Jolyene Nicole Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Kindly Light’ – Kindly Light Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Kings Mountain’ – Kings Mountain Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Knights Bridge’ – Knights Bridge Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Lake Norman Sunset’ – Lake Norman Sunset Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Lavender Blue Baby’ – Lavender Blue Baby Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Lavender Blue Planet’ – Lavender Blue Planet Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Lavender Flight’ – Lavender Flight Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Lemon Lyric’ – Lemon Lyric Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Lemon Meringue Ruffles’ – Lemon Meringue Ruffles Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Lion Dance’ – Lion Dance Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Litchfield Plantation’ – Litchfield Plantation Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Luxury Lace’ – Luxury Lace Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Mabel Nolen’ – Mabel Nolen Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Magic Dawn’ – Magic Dawn Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Mardi Gras Parade’ – Mardi Gras Parade Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Martha Adams’ – Martha Adams Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Mary Mercer’ – Mary Mercer Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Mary Todd’ – Mary Todd Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Matt’ – Matt Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Merry Witch’ – Merry Witch Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Michelle My Belle’ – Michelle My Belle Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Molly’s Favorite’ – Molly’s Favorite Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Moment of Truth’ – Moment of Truth Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Monterey Jack’ – Monterey Jack Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Moonlit Masquerade’ – Moonlit Masquerade Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Multnomah’ – Multnomah Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘My Belle’ – My Belle Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘My Tradition’ – My Tradition Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘My Ways’ – My Ways Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Naranja’ – Naranja Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Nature’s Artwork’ – Nature’s Artwork Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Neal Berrey’ – Neal Berrey Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Nefertiti’ – Nefertiti Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘North Wind Dancer’ – North Wind Dancer Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Painted Lady’ – Painted Lady Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Papaya Delight’ – Papaya Delight Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Papilion’ – Papilion Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Parade Queen’ – Parade Queen Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Pastel Classic’ – Pastel Classic Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Pearl Lewis’ – Pearl Lewis Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Penny Arcade’ – Penny Arcade Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Picasso’s Dream’ – Picasso’s Dream Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Pink Ballerina’ – Pink Ballerina Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Pink Lemonade’ – Pink Lemonade Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Pink Monday’ – Pink Monday Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Pittsburgh Golden Triangle’ – Pittsburgh Golden Triangle Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Playboy’ – Playboy Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Potentate’ – Potentate Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Prima Donna’ – Prima Donna Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Primal Scream’ – Primal Scream Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Princeton Sunlight’ – Princeton Sunlight Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Purple Fantasy’ – Purple Fantasy Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Quaker Bonnet’ – Quaker Bonnet Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Rainbow Mesa’ – Rainbow Mesa Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Rainbow Rhythm Ruby Spider’ – Rainbow Rhythm Ruby Spider Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Raspberry Suede’ – Raspberry Suede Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Red Hot Returns’ – Red Hot Returns Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Red Magic’ – Red Magic Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Red Nova’ – Red Nova Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Renee’ – Renee Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Revolute’ – Revolute Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Royal Heiress’ – Royal Heiress Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ruby Throat’ – Ruby Throat Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ruffled Apricot’ – Ruffled Apricot Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ruffled Parchment’ – Ruffled Parchment Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ruffled Pinafore’ – Ruffled Pinafore Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ruffled Plum Frolic’ – Ruffled Plum Frolic Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Ruffled Venus’ – Ruffled Venus Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Russian Ragtime’ – Russian Ragtime Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Sabie’ – Sabie Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Salmon Sheen’ – Salmon Sheen Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Satin Glass’ – Satin Glass Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Scandinavia’ – Scandinavia Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Scarlet Pimpernel’ – Scarlet Pimpernel Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Shake the Mountains’ – Shake the Mountains Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Shining Angel’ – Shining Angel Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Siloam Bo Peep’ – Siloam Bo Peep Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Siloam Cinderella’ – Siloam Cinderella Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Siloam Double Classic’ – Siloam Double Classic Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Siloam Grace Stamile’ – Siloam Grace Stamile Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Siloam June Bug’ – Siloam June Bug Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Siloam Shocker’ – Siloam Shocker Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Siloam Ury Winniford’ – Siloam Ury Winniford Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Skinwalker’ – Skinwalker Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Smoke On The Horizon’ – Smoke On The Horizon Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Smooth Flight’ – Smooth Flight Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Soft Orchid Kisses’ – Soft Orchid Kisses Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Song of Spring’ – Song of Spring Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Spiritual Corridor’ – Spiritual Corridor Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Stella De Oro’ – Stella De Oro Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Strawberry Candy’ – Strawberry Candy Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Sunday Gloves’ – Sunday Gloves Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Super Purple’ – Super Purple Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Tennessee Afterglow’ – Tennessee Afterglow Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Terrestrial Ball’ – Terrestrial Ball Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Tide Line’ – Tide Line Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Tigerling’ – Tigerling Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Today’s Charm’ – Today s Charm Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Todd Monroe’ – Todd Monroe Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Tonia Gay’ – Tonia Gay Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Too Marvelous’ – Too Marvelous Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Top Honors’ – Top Honors Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘True Grit’ – True Grit Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Tuesday’ – Tuesday Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Viola Parker’ – Viola Parker Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Vorlon Revelation’ – Vorlon Revelation Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Webster’s Pink Wonder’ – Webster’s Pink Wonder Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Wedding Band’ – Wedding Band Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Whimsical’ – Whimsical Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Wild Horses’ – Wild Horses Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Wildcat Willie’ – Wildcat Willie Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Winning Ways’ – Winning Ways Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Wynnson’ – Wynnson Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Yellow Crystal’ – Yellow Crystal Daylily
Hemerocallis x ‘Zona Rosa’ – Zona Rosa Daylily