Dark Purple (in person) with almost black eye and slight double edge, first edge is eye color then white trimmed

The red is 5 1/2 in. and Scapes are 29" but bud count is 7-8.
The dark purple with the eye is 24 1/4 in scapes with 5 7/8 in bloom. Bud ct of 8-9. I like them and the red one truly pops when you round the corner an see it. Neither are as tall as my goal. Both are color fast in the sun here in Georgia. The bud count and the ht leave me disappointed.... so my question is, are they worth introducing or should I continue waiting for my goals of higher bud ct and taller..... Maybe they are ok to just register in the names of friends and give as gifts but not to be truly introduced? Thoughts?

Only you can determine this, but see below.

Are they different in either bloom size, color, dimensions, bud count, vigor to other things you can get on the market?

That is what a hybridizer of some note told me a few years ago.. of the 2k or so seedlings I've grown I've never named one so far.. though I think in my mind im getting closer.

By the way, you can register to name any daylily really, as long as it follows the long list of rules they like to apply to it, but you don't have to really do that if you just want to pass them out to friends, you can just say it was garden named "xxxxxx"

just went out and took a better pic of the purple one.... closer to the color, but still photo is a bit more reddish than in person. Maybe I should use a color filter or is that cheating (Ha)?

I think the second seedling is especially pretty. Is it a first year bloomer? If so, your bud count will probably increase as it matures. I have a white one I really like that only had three buds the first year it bloomed, 8-9 buds last year, and it looks like it will have at least 16 buds this season. My own goal is to have a bud count of at least 18 before registering a seedling unless it is very unique. Many hybridizers have intros of 15 buds, but I think less than 10 buds is probably not worthy of registration. That doesn't mean you can't give it a seedling name and give it to friends or even sell it.

Debra

Thanks Debra.... Yeah, I think less than 10 is too little as well, guess I just wanted someone else to say it. I had in my head, 20 buds and am purchasing foundation plants towards improving in that direction. Also, I have some seedlings that are the ht I like which is over 3 ft. So maybe this is one I'll cross for its face onto those with better plants.

Did you test your seedling in other gardens and zones before registering.... or is that even important?

Matt - No, I did not have others evaluate my seedling in their gardens before registering. I think it's a great thing to do though, if you have enough fans to spare. That way you can find out how they perform in different climates.

As for height, I like daylilies of all heights. Everyone needs some short ones for the front of the garden. When I first started buying daylilies 18 years ago, 26 inches seemed to be hybridizers' favorite height. The current trend seems to be toward tall ones - 30-36 inches, and in the north even taller.

I think both of your seedlings could definitely be used as bridge plants and crossed to daylilies with excellent branching, bud count, and height. I would definitely use the purple one in your program because of its double edge.

Debra

I'm getting first blooms on my seedlings this year too, and I'm glad to see it written again that first bloom bud counts are usually not representative! :)

My intuition is that I wouldn't want to register a plant that hasn't bloomed for at least 3 years. As for "introduction," it's a big step between being a hybridizer and a salesperson. I don't expect I'd ever sell anything I registered, although I'd be delighted if a sales garden was interested in carrying them.

Silverkelt's advice is good. If you expect to sell a plant commercially, it must have some trait that makes it desirable over other similar plants (unless you're a well-known hybridizer, in which case you can probably sell some mediocre introductions on reputation alone).

Nate

Hi and congrats on your bloomers! I am a newbie, and I agree with what silverkelt spoke about! I have heard it is up to you to build your own program from your own seedlings to make your own "nitch". That being said you may have a stepping stone here to what YOU like and want to see in a future intro. This is how Im approaching it anyway. Well done!