I want to start a list of daylilies that have proven to be rust resistant as well as some reliable, up to date information on rust and its control and prevention. There are many fallacies regarding rust and I hope to eliminate at least the more outrageous of them.
Its amazing that you can have one daylily covered in rust and the one next to it shows no trace whatsoever. As the hybridizers down in FL cannot really breed for rust resistance since their spray programs are so effective that they rarely ever see it, it remains the responsibility of those of us who either don't spray for rust at all or people like me who quit spraying as soon as plants are shipped out in late September. Rust doesn't over-winter here but I do bring plants into my garden early every spring from sources who do have rust that overwinters in their areas. Thus I never send any plant out of here with a guarantee to be rust-free...and you should beware of anyone who does pledge rust-free plants unless they live in an area where rust does not overwinter and they have no new plants received from areas where rust does over-winter (be sure to confirm that plants did not overwinter in a green house) between the end of winter and the shipping of your plants.
We are going to have to learn to live with rust but many people have expressed a wish to have a listing indicating at least degree of rust resistance. Anyone who has names they wish to contribute to this listing, please feel free to e-mail me with their list or the name of the cultivar and please indicate if the resistance is low, medium or high. As soon as I get my list ready, it will be posted here.
Please be sure that you are reporting rust observations, not leaf streak which can appear very similar. If you run your finger over an active rust pustule, you will come away with a rusty colored residue on your finger. So be very certain that what you are looking at is really rust.
Your contributions to this page will be welcomed! More information on rust will be posted in the very near future.
Barb
