Happy Returns vs. Fragrant Returns?

16 years ago

Hi daylily folks! I have a mystery I hope you all can help me with.

Last summer (thanks to you enablers) I bought quite a few daylilies. I am starting to get blooms this week, and it's great! Some I am seeing for the first time, so you know how exciting that is. :)

Anyway, I bought a pair of what I thought was Happy Returns to flank both sides of a path. But after they have bloomed, I'm thinking these two are not exactly the same thing and one was mismarked.

One came into bloom about a week later than the other, and the flowers on it are slightly larger and a more pale yellow.

I wondered if I could possibly have gotten a Fragrant Returns? I was at Home Depot today and saw FR, and the color and shape was similar.

Does anyone grow both of these so that you could compare and contrast? :)

Thanks!

Connie

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Peach Grove Nursery

11 years ago

There is little difference between the two as fragrant returns arose from a mutation on happy returns. Bloom time is the same in my daylily collection though fragrant returns is slightly lighter. As these are from a box store they were probably produced in mass by tissue culture which often leads to various off type plants (very slight genetic mutations) which can be hard to cull. Likely you have one of these off types. Can also be result from slight variable in growing conditions (soil, light, drainage, ext). You might be surprised how much difference just a foot or two can make, esp on newer construction home sites.

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Comments (8)

organic_kitten
16 years ago
Sorry Connie, I can't help 'cause I don't grow wither, but I didn't want your post to just sit here.
kay
conniemcghee
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks Kay. I'll bump it back up to the top for a day or so in case anyone does grow both and can help.
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njmomma
16 years ago
I think you're probably right. I only have Happy Returns but I have seen Fragrant Returns. I love my Happy Returns and it's really fragrant too.
heartopensky_yahoo_com
15 years ago
I, too, have been seeking the answer to this, and here's what I found, quoted from the Dayton Nursery website ( http://www.daytonnursery.com/encyclopedia/perennials/hemerocallis.htm ).

"Hemerocallis 'Happy Returns' Daylily
zones 3-9
Description: 3 inch ruffled, canary yellow blossoms. Repeat bloomer.
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Summer
Foliage Color: Green
Height: 18"
Spread: n/a

Hemerocallis 'Fragrant Returns' Daylily
zones 3-9
Description: Same as Happy Returns with a strong sweet fragrance. Everblooming. 3 1/4" light lemon yellow, very fragrant flowers, lightly ruffled.
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Summer
Foliage Color: Green
Height: 18"
Spread: 18-24"

As to which blooms first, I know not. But I'd say your paler one is 'Fragrant' and your darker one is 'Happy.' Does the light one have more fragrance, in fact, than the other? Just curious.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dayton Nursery website
dementieva
15 years ago
Hmm...FRAGRANT RETURNS isn't a registered name in the AHS database...I wonder where it came from if the big box stores sell it.

Nate
wildbirds
15 years ago
Fragrant Treasure (Iverson 1990) and Fragrant Returns (NR) are the SAME cultivar from what I am able to determine. FT is AHS registered while FR is not.

Fragrant Returns seems to be a 'marketing name' applied to Fragrant Treasure to take advantage of the reputation of some of D. Apps' intros such as Apricot Returns, Stephanie Returns, Sunset Returns, Happy returns, etc. If you research their backgrounds you will find that they have the SAME patent number - PP#08140. (NB:There are other AHS registered cultivars 'out there' with such 'marketing names'.)
garyz8bpnw
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I've read 'Fragrant Returns' is a mutant of 'Happy Returns'. Very similar with slightly lighter, slightly larger, perhaps more fragrant flowers. May be a bit more shade tolerant too.

I have a narrow bed runner of 'Fragrant Returns' along the driveway coming into bloom now. I got them 2 years ago in bulk 'Easy to Grow Bulbs' pack at Costco. Have been awesome to grow.