B E v E R L y s I L L s Gardener, Opera Legend " Life in the city... I love its vitality, but not the stress. Often I can't wait to escape to the country. There in the quiet beauty of my garden I find peace, contentment and renewal. I've been a Miracle-Gro fan for years. I use it on everything in my garden - and everything grows just beautifully." MIRACLE-GRO eric an Horticulturist Volume 71, Number 6 June 1992 ARTICLES Night and Daylilies by Peter Loewer . ... .............. .... ...... ... 12 These easy, sun-loving perennials include some evening stars. Daylilies of His Field by Tom Cahill ......... ....... ... ..... ..... ... .. 17 When Brother Charles Reckamp makes crosses, the results can be heavenly. A House Full of Wmgs by Meg Williamson .............. ......... ..... ... 20 A behind-the-scenes visit to Callaway Gardens' Day Butterfly Center. JUNE'S COVER A Tree History: The Empress Tree Photographed by K. Mark Cowick by Susan Sand . ... ................................. .. 27 The zebra longwing (Heliconius charitonius) alights on a Texas This "weed tree" is said to be our most valuable timber. thistle (Cirsium texanum) at the Zilker Butterfly Garden and Trail at Oz-some Poppies the Texas Botanical Garden Society by Molly Dean . .... .................. ... 30 in Austin. Dr. Larry Gilbert, who There's no place that can't be a home for some of these bold helped design the butterfly garden yet fragile beauties. there, has found that this butterfly has the unique ability to absorb protein, making it longer lived than The Desert Farmers of the Southwest most butterflies. A tropical butterfly by Betty Fussell .... ... ............ ............... 36 whose larval food plant is Passiflora Some eighteen centuries before Columbus arrived on New World caeruiea, it can survive freezing shores, native tribes were "keeping the corn from misunderstanding." nights as long as day temperatures are warm enough to thaw it out. In most of the United States, it needs the protection of an indoor butterfly garden, such as the Day Butterfly o EPA R T MEN T S Conservatory at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. Read Commentary .. ..... .. ............. ......... 4 more about these two butterfly gardens beginning on page 20. Letters ..... .............. ............. .......... .. 5 Offshoots ................. ........ .... ........... 6 Book Reviews ................. ... ...... ...... .... 9 Classifieds ......... .......... ......... ......... 44 Pronunciations ............... ................... .... 46 American Horticultural Society The American Horticultural Society seeks COMMENTARY to promote and recognize excellence in horticulture across America. OFFICERS 1991-1992 his month an unprecedented Mr. George C. Ball Jr. gathering of world leaders takes President place in Rio de Janeiro. The agenda West Chicago, Illinois T of Earth Summit, a United Nations-spon­ Mrs. Helen Fulcher Walutes First Vice President sored conference on the environment, will Mount Vernon, Virginia focus on two concepts: that humanity has Mr. Richard C. Angino an incalculable impact on the natural en­ Second Vice President Harrisburg, Pennsylvania vironment and that our species must take Mr. Elvin McDonald responsibility for that impact. Secretary We at the AHS applaud Maurice Strong, Houston, Texas secretary-general of the U.N. Conference on Mr. Gerald T. Halpin Environment and Development, for having Treasurer Alexandria, Virginia the vision and ability to gather repre­ sentatives of seventy governments and more than 1,000 nongovernmental organizations for this event. AHS will be BOARD OF DIRECTORS represented by one of our newer members, Rory O'Connor, a television Mrs. Suzanne Bales Bronxville, New York production executive and journalist, who will report to us on developments Dr. William E. Barrick related to horticulture. Pine Mountain, Georgia Another important event opened in April for a six-month run in Columbus, Dr. Sherran Blair Columbus, Ohio Ohio. AmeriFlora '92, this nation's first attempt at an international horticul­ Mrs. Mary Katherine Blount tural exposition, is a courageous act that deserves the support of our members. Montgomery, Alabama Such "garden expositions" originated in Europe following World War Mrs. Sarah Boasberg II with a dual purpose: to create beautiful and useful public parks in areas Washington, D.C. Dr. Henry Marc Catbey destroyed by war, and to celebrate the richness of their region's horticul­ Washington, D.C. tural activities. Thus the earliest garden expositions took place in Holland, Mr. Russell B. Clark Belgium, Germany, and France, and the concept spread to other countries Boston, Massachusetts Mrs. Beverley White Dunn in Europe. Today they are primarily celebrations of the beauty and useful­ Birmingham, Alabama ness of ornamental horticulture. Dr. John Alex Floyd Jr. Why haven't Americans done this sort of thing before? Sure, we gather Birmingham, Alabama in convention centers and put on spring flower shows-valiant efforts of Mrs. Julia Hobart Troy, Ohio regional societies that are generally well-attended. But we have nothing in Mr. David M. Lilly America to rival the European shows. St. Paul, Minnesota This is due in part to our not having a unified horticultural community. Mr. Lawrence V. Power New York, New York A single horticultural display simply could not represent all of North Dr. Julia Rappaport American horticulture. Imagine someone announcing an exposition of Santa Ana, California European gardening and horticulture. Which one? British, Dutch, French? Mrs. Flavia Redelmeier Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada The organizers of AmeriFlora '92 did a wise thing. They chose to Mrs. Jane N. Scarff promote, generically, the value of gardening and the beauty of plants and New Carlisle, Ohio flowers. There are educational demonstrations, fun events for kids, and a Mrs. Josephine Shanks great abundance of attractive, colorful displays. Houston, Texas Mrs. Billie Trump While it may not reach the level of sophistication and refinement of the Alexandria, Virginia European expositions, it is an excellent start. Just as we are a young Mr. Andre Viette country, we are to a great extent a nation of "beginning" gardeners. So the Fishersville, Virginia Ms. Katy Moss Warner generic, educational, "entry-level" approach that comprises much of Lake Buena Vista, Florida AmeriFlora '92 is appropriate. Let us hope that more gardeners result from the tremendous effort the Columbus community has made. We encourage all of our members to go, not only to see what does well in ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR the southeastern Great Lakes subregion, but also to wimess a first attempt at Mrs. Helen Fulcher Walutes a world-class horticultural exposition. Other groups across the country should consider the possibility of undertaking similar projects in their communities. George C. Ball Jr., AHS President 4 JUNE 1992 American Horticulturist Editor Kathleen Fisher LETTERS Assistant Editor Mary Beth Wiesner Editorial Assistant Steve Davolt Design Director Plants in Education for its care. I admit that we do attribute an Joseph Yacinski No wonder four-year-old Charles had so animal characteristic to plants when we Designer much trouble when told that plants talk about feeding them and it may not be Bob McCracken "needed food to survive," as related in the scientifically correct, but it does reinforce Membership Director article "Wiggly Creatures and Amazing our goal. I am much more careful about Darlene Oliver Mazes" by Brian Holley (April). Plants do my tendency to anthropomorphize since not need food to survive, and to tell children my experience with Charles. Editorial Advisory Board Dr. Gerald S. Barad so misleads them. Growing plants in solu­ I too find the recent interest in plant Flemington, New Jersey tion culture hydroponics is an easy way to studies by educators a very exciting John Bryan show children that plants only require air, prospect. No other medium offers as many Sausalito, California John Creech light, water, and the proper minerals. Two­ opportunities for intellectual and affective Hendersonville, North Carolina liter plastic soda bottles or 35-millimeter development, as well as the development of Keith Crotz plastic film canisters make excellent practical skills. ChiUicothe, Illinois Panayoti Kelaidis hydroponic systems for school use. Denver, Colorado The April "Commentary" about using Peter Loewer plants in science education adds another ~ Asheville, North Carolina voice to what might become a renaissance ~ Janet M. Poor ~ Winnetka, Illinois for plant use in education. Four recent ~ Dr. James E. Swasey curricula funded by the National Science ~ Newark, Delaware Foundation center on gardening or plants; g they are Wisconsin Fast Plants, GrowLab, t5 Advertising American l:iorticultural Society LifeLab, and Project LEAP (LEarning About ~ ~ Advertising Department Plants). There have also been numerous ~ 2700 Prosperiry Avenue recent publications about the use of plants ~ Fairfax, VA 22031 UJ in education. David R. Hershey ~ (703) 204-4636 University of Maryland j Color Separations College Park, Maryland Correction: A photograph that accom­ Chroma-Graphics, Inc. panied "Wiggly Creatures and Amazing Printer Brian Holley responds: Mazes" in April was misidentified. The maze William Byrd Press, Inc. I certainly agree that hydroponics can be a garden photo by Allan Rokach was taken at Replacement iss ue s of AMERICAN HORTICUL­ very effective way of teaching basic plant the New York Botanical Garden. The real TURIST are available at a cost