Is it normal for daylilies to fade and petals substance deteriorate by 1PM? I find this most especially prevalent with the newer tet daylilies. It appears to me that the older cultivars that I grow last longer and stay nicer until late in the day.

Yes, if it is not a cloudy day. I need to make a list, because off hand I can not remember which ones they are.

It's prevalent enough that I would venture most daylilies in anyone's garden exhibit this undesirable trait. I know I have maybe a dozen out of about 650 cultivars that have enough substance to look as fresh or nearly as fresh as when they first opened, even after grueling sun and all-day heat and/or heavy downpours. And none of those plants are the latest and greatest. I do have both dips and tets.

I treasure daylilies with good substance. To me, they are so much more valuable than those that turn to used tissue paper in a rain, or have melted in the sun by lunch time. I wish more folks would consider substance as being important before they release their plants.

Years ago I was told that in my heat I couldn't expect daylilies to be colorfast and/or sunfast. This turned into my goal. To get daylilies that look decent towards the end of the day in 95 plus degree temperatures. Over 95 seems to be the temperature that many otherwise heat hardy daylilies will begin to wimp out. This year the temps went up into the 90's beginning the first of May. It has been a consistent 99 degrees for days on end, with temperatures now going into the triple digits. Today was 107 (heat index 113 plus). Most of my daylilies are bloomed out by now, but these 3 looked pretty good at 5PM when I took their picture. The temperature had dropped to 105 by then.

This daylily was in the heat but got protection from the full sun after 2PM when it went into the shade. It's a new daylily for me, so don't know how it will do next year or in full all day sun but the color and substance held well in part sun in the high heat:

Sweetest Name I Know:



Although colors are more pronounced in cooler weather, I think the amber/gold color of this daylily looks great for having been in the blazing sun all day long:
Indian Ripples:



Finally another first year plant for me. Dale Hensley has some remarkable reds and aside from some singeing on an outer petal, this dark red held up remarkably well in full sun and 107 degree heat:
Reindeer Antlers:



Maryl

I agree, many daylily blooms can look like mush after a rain. Yuck! Substance is a quality that I wish everyone would consider too.

@Maryl,
Those three certainly do qualify for blooms that hold their color well in heat! They are all outstanding, they all look fresh and crisp.

Thank you everyone for responding! For a moment I thought that maybe it is just happening in my garden. I am surprised to see so many of my newer intro daylilies don't take the heat and sun well. Space World is the worst. Will these be better to handle the heat when they are more established? We also did have a month without rain. Do you think that may affect its ability to hold its substance well? But if that is the case, I have older cultivars that hold their forms and colors well late into the day.

@judydu2 Judy, can you share the names of this dozen daylilies that hold up to the heat well?

@Maryl Maryl, I totally agree with Larry! Those daylilies esp. Sweetest Name I Know look great in spite of being in the OK sun all day. I

Mine are gone by 1 or so if it is really hot day with humidity, we have had alot of those this summer.

Looks like I overestimated the number.
Here are nine that show good rain-resistance and are nicely sun-fast in my garden.
Of the nine, two are tetraploid.

Doomsday


Fin and Feather


Hightower


Jacqueline Presslor


Juana Maria


Laughing Clown


Our Kirsten


Prince Hal


Willow

When you walk your garden after a heavy downpour and you see blooms that have beaded-up water, those have heavy substance. They will most likely be the same ones that look nice and fairly fresh at the end of of a hot day.
Blooms with heavy substance are actually fairly easy to spot but, in my opinion, not easy to come by in current introductions.

Judy, so much for that tip! I really appreciate your experience because if anything can stand up in your part of the country, they should do very well up here.

kousa said:Judy, so much for that tip! I really appreciate your experience because if anything can stand up in your part of the country, they should do very well up here.

You are most welcome.

Pretty new to all this, but I have noted that many first year blooms don't stand up to sun/rain. I wouldn't write off a new CV. My second year blooms, with a few exceptions, are all much better. Here are a few that really impressed me this year. All are dips, though. There are many more here, I discard by the second year if the blooms aren't up to snuff. Little Dandy and Little Wart were outa here after the first few blooms, this year.

Adena Imposter. This is a 2018 addition that is really wowing me. Sun/rain don't degrade the blooms at all!


Creative Design. Pattern is set in am and does not change.


Grape Stomping. This one did fade a bit in first year. None of that this year!

Hummingbird. This was a 94 degree day with a hard rain later. Blooms still perfect!


Snowboarding. Amazing huge blooms that are virtually bullet-proof. Another neat thing about this one, the blooms do a credible job of curling up neatly when spent. Love that.

The neat drying up of blooms is a trait that is often overlooked but much appreciated.

Glad to see FIN and FEATHER on the list. I am adding that for my sportsman hubby The nongardener.

Tina, what a great collection! I love the first 2 and Snowboarding. I can't believe that the first and last ones are dip though. Thanks for your recommendation.