Coronal

Silvia Saunders and David Reath described the flowers as “very finished” and I agree. Nassos Daphnis selfed this plant to produce ‘Calypso’ which has very similar petal coloration but pronounced dark flares and more ruffling. ‘Coronal’ seems difficult to grow and propagate and has never been widely available. In the early 1950’s, William Gratwick wrote “sell one plant only every 5-10 years and ask $400”, a sum equivalent to over $4000 in 2023.

My plant dies back to the ground every year so doesn’t achieve a great height and has failed to bloom most years. The photo is of one of its rare blooms in my garden. Dead in 2022 and I don’t have $4000 to replace it.