A nice companion to the 8Y-O a week or two ago is this 8W-O. It is Autumn Colors 8W-O crossed with a First Stanza seedling (09/21T x 09/02T). It has the size and robustness of Autumn Colors combined with earliness from elegans.
Seedlings from past years have also started flowering. These were lifted and later planted in the shade and watered so they are definitely earlier than they otherwise would be. The 8W-G from last year opened 8W-Y in sunny 30C conditions but has opened green now in overcast 21C conditions.
This seedling is Autumn Colors (09_13T) x Gold Step
