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Re: [SHADEGARDENS] DAYLILY SPRING SICKNESS-HELLEBORUS QUESTION

Sharon Fitzpatrick -Canal Winchester, Ohio USDA zone 5

.  He explained that this
> results when the plants start growing during a warm spell and then cold
> comes back.  Claims they straighten out when the weather straightens out.
> Is this true or does it mean the leaves are deformed for the rest of the
> season?
>
> Diana, the jury is still out on what causes spring sickness in daylilies.
At this time a scientific study is being conducted at Ohio State University
on this problem.As daylilies are a tough plant they usually recover from
this disorder.  It is believed that spring sickness could be caused by an
insect laying egg in crown of daylily in  the fall. When temps begin to
warm egg hatches and wee beastie begins to eat causing the foliage growing
out of meristem to be serrated, twisted and yellow. This spring I am going
to dig a daylily showing symptoms of spring sickness. Peel the layers of
growth off affected side of plant until I find the little troublemaker who
is dining on my plant. 'IF'  (big if) I find a beastie I will put it in a
baggie and present it to my USDA inspector for identification.

Looks like an early spring here. Snow drops, crocus, yellow iris
reticulata, one mini daffodil and 3 varieties of helleborus are in bloom.
I have lost the tag on one of the helleborus .Could someone help me
identify it? I have been growing this variety for 5 years and have never
seen it flower as the bloom is on the end of foliage stems instead of
coming from center like H. Niger and H. Orientals. Flower buds are usually
killed by a late freeze.Foliage of this plant resembles other Helleborus
but have spines on the tips of the leaves.
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