PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION IS ONE OF THE FIRST AND CERTAINLY MOST DYNAMIC OF THE NEW "CHANGEABLES" AND HAS GIVEN US SEVERAL WHEN CROSSED W/ DIFFERENT CULTIVARS. HYBRIDIZER'S PIC & DESCRIPTION :
PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION seedling 04-11 (BIG APPLE X SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE) 5" DOR 26" M This is a very unusual introduction for us. This would be a very unusual introduction for anybody. When we first saw this as a seedling our mouths dropped open and we were speechless. There were colors on the petals we had never seen anywhere in the daylily kingdom. But let's go back to the beginning. The flower begins the day as a reddish purple or perhaps purplish red might capture it better. As the morning progresses the red/purple disappears from the petal surface. What is revealed underneath is a shade that has described by consensus as turquoise. That was consistently true when this was grown as a seedling in its original location. When we brought PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION in to the line out beds and a richer soil other shades appeared in addition. Besides the turquoise we saw jade as well as gun metal gray. We suspect that an interplay of weather and and soil chemistry determines what is seen. There are times when the color is quite blue which is what the camera often picks up. All images shown here are just as they came off the camera.
The pattern in which the red/purple surface coloration disappears adds another interesting dimension. The color in the outside layers washes away from the center of the blossom and progresses towards the edges of the petals. This leaves the turquoise/jade/bluish/gray pigments below exposed. For a time during the course of the day PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION takes on the appearance of the much desired edge/no eye pattern. As the day proceeds the second pigment layer follows the pattern of the first layer until it takes on another variation of the edge/no eye look. This time the outside edge is the same unique color as what was seen on the main area of the petals a few hours earlier.
We saw just enough evidence in the seedling beds this past summer that PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION passes along this unique ability. We saw several babies from it that went through similar transformations in the course of the day. You don't have to work real hard to realize what we are hoping may come from this fascinating. plant.
In our original assessment of the plant qualities we were not very encouraging about the vigor of the seedling, 04-11. That was entirely based upon its performance in the seedling bed in which it was crowded badly and overgrown by neighbors on all sides. At that point we were having to weigh the uniqueness of the plant with a perceived lack of vigor. However when we moved the plant to the line out beds and decent soil magic happened. PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION grew like a weed. At 15 or so bud counts are still not what we would prefer but there is no question of vigor. From just a couple of small fans lined out in the fall of '05 we now have a sufficient supply to meet the demands of introduction.
Our thanks go to Dick Henley of Baltimore, Ohio for the inspired name, PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION. As is our policy Dick will get a free division of the plant in the spring of 2008 when it is introduced.
The pollen is quite good on PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION. Pods are a bit difficult but not that hard. We even had a few bee pods in 2009.
PIGMENT OF IMAGINATION was awarded an AHS H.M. in 2012. This introduction received more than the needed 20 votes to win. In fact POI received 74 votes to put it in 3rd. place in the voting.