Green

Daffodil Friends,
The green on petals on second generation progeny from viridiflorus usually appears, as David says, to be an overlay on the basic color. It can be quite evident when the bloom opens, but then often disappears after a few days. First-generation hybrids normally keep the green. Cup-color green is not so temporal as is perianth-color green.
The reason I use yellow perianths in breeding is simple: I can’t keep most white-perianth cultivars alive in Oakley! W-W and most W-P are goners after a year or two. (I do better when I grow them in containers.) So, in my breeding, I use earlier cultivars that will live in Oakley – and those are yellow. Exception is ‘Mesa Verde’ which though it has a green/yellow perianth, is from Ashmore x (Easter Moon x viridiflorus). The pollen was from Manuel Lima – and put on the latest bloom in my garden (a first-year bulb of Ashmore) in order to bring the bloom into show season. I have several of Manuel’s Easter Moon x viridiflorus progeny – some have white perianths and some have yellow perianths.
I’ve had discussions about viridiflorus in which it was suggested that the green was indeed a lack of color. If so, why the results (ie, green overlay) on later progeny?
Bob

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At 02:03 AM 10/8/2008, David Adams wrote:

Lawrence,

I’m interested on your perspective on green daffodils regarding the green being an indication of undeveloped flower parts.

I guess the two current leading exponents in the development of green daffodils are Bob Spotts and John Hunter. Interesting that Bob has gone more for green over yellow and John more for green over white. Having seen green in many flowers I would concur that it is from undeveloped parts of the flower however having seen some of John and Bob’s flowers I would suggest that the green colour is overlaid on the original colour and therefore more natural. Your response?

Dave