Dark purple or blue hardies.

[thepitclub]

I've been looking at all the varieties of hardies, and I haven't seen any colors other than red, pink, and yellow hues. Are there any hardies in purples, blues, or other unusual colors? Are all the "beauties" only tropicals?

[Kat]

No blues or purples in hardies.  It would be fantastic if someone was able to hybridize some.

[thedahlialama]

who ever comes up with a blue hardy should be able to retire in comfort, however there are some very pretty colors among the hardies. among the many hues and variations of the hardy colors are some very interesting ones. many of them have more than one color and/or change with each passing day. and if you've never seen colorado and similar 'peach' colored varieties, then you've certainly missed something. there are definitly some beauties among the hardies, just not any blue/purple ones

[karen J]

No, only tropicals posess those colors of blue/purple. And green, if I'm not mistaken.

[magoo]

It's gonna take some gene splicing to get a blue or purple hardy. The old nukin the plasm did not work to produce blue/purple hardy.

Dan

[thepitclub]

who ever comes up with a blue hardy should be able to retire in comfort, however there are some very pretty colors among the hardies. among the many hues and variations of the hardy colors are some very interesting ones. many of them have more than one color and/or change with each passing day. and if you've never seen colorado and similar 'peach' colored varieties, then you've certainly missed something. there are definitly some beauties among the hardies, just not any blue/purple ones

Yes, you are right, very pretty peach colors, as well as others. 

I just really have been enthralled with some of the pics of tropicals I've seen lately. I was hoping for similar colored hardies since I have to be stuck in a frozen tundra known as michigan....
 :'(

[thedahlialama]

consider yourself lucky - at least you can buy one or two and treat them as annuals - trade them for a new hardy or give them away at the end of the season. with your hot summers you should be able to have some very enjoyable blooms if you pick up a nice nice plant from one of the members here. the earlier in the season the better.

but i've tried on a couple of occasions and while i live in one of the best agricultural areas in the country with very moderate temps year round, it never gets hot enough for them to thrive and take off. i see a few blooms that whoever sent it to me got started and then just pads for the rest of the season. and it gets just cold enough that i can't overwinter them. so i am resigned to building a colection of hardies and frankly i have discovered that i like many of them better than i do some of the tropicals i've had or seen in the pics here. there is alot more variety among hardies than meets the eye at first glance. so even while i must do as your signiture line from Epicurius says, i find that there are also wonders to be found among the hardies that you don't find in tropicals. 

[SheilaJ]

What kind of summer high temps do you get in Michigan? If you put them in an above ground metal tank in full sun, the water heats up quite a lot and you get some nice blooms. At least I do here in Maryland. You can overwinter tropical lilies, either under grow lights or in a dormant state. If you really want a blue or purple, give it a try!

[thepitclub]

What kind of summer high temps do you get in Michigan? If you put them in an above ground metal tank in full sun, the water heats up quite a lot and you get some nice blooms. At least I do here in Maryland. You can overwinter tropical lilies, either under grow lights or in a dormant state. If you really want a blue or purple, give it a try!

We get temps in my area anywhere from 75 - 95 degrees F. Summers vary year to year here (this week has been in the 80's). And I think you are right, I'll give it a try! I'm going to repost a request to see if anyone has any available. Thanks SheilaJ!

Amanda