JOE BURROW
2022 FALL DIPLOID INTRODUCTION CHARITY INTRODUCTION FOR
HELPING RELIVE HUNGER IN SE OHIO
We have been given the privilege of naming this phenomenal daylily in honor of our local hero, Joe Burrow, as exceptional a young man as you will find. Joe grew up only a few miles from us here at Ashwood. In 2019 Joe lead the LSU Tigers to the national college football championship setting records for his school and his conference. He was then awarded the Heisman Trophy and later was the first pick in the NFL draft. It was not simply Joe's achievements in football that prompted us to seek to name this outstanding flower after him. It was the comments that he made in New York when he received the award that made me make the decision, "I need to name a daylily after Joe." Instead of the usual comments from the podium, Joe emotionally related the poverty and food deprivation of so many of the students that he knew in the public school system of Athens, Ohio. This county being the worst in the state for children going hungry. Joe's impassioned comments prompted donations to pour into the coffers of the Athens Food Pantry.
The catch is that that food pantry serves only one area of Southeastern Ohio, leaving the food pantries in the other nine counties of this section of the state in the same sad shape they have been for years.
If you are so inclined, take a look at the YouTube video of Joe's acceptance of the Heisman in NY. You may see why I was so deeply affected.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJehkX2ScFE
At 61" in height and 8 to 9" in flower size Joe Burrow is a standout. Seen here in mid bloom, the height and blossom size will draw attention and admiration. We have had our eye on this cultivar for some time. Among it's many fine attributes is the fact that, unlike so many introductions that are tall and sport extra large flowers, Joe Burrow has extreme resistance to the affects of wind and rain. The scapes are so strong that they do NOT bend over from wind or rain. I have never seen a scape that went over for any reason.
Additionally the bud count in the range of 20-29 keeps the plant in bloom for a very extended period of time. Being a bud builder, there may be potential for even more blooms but it is a very floriferous cultivar as it stands. The following image shows one of the last blooms in row seen above. Note the brown scapes of the surrounding seedlings. JB just does not give up, much in the manner of its namesake.
As I write this, Joe is poised to take his team, the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl later this month. His performance as quarterback has set new records and surprised many with the level of his skills. We stand by our opinion that he is an outstanding individual both on and off the field.
You can see in the above photo that there is very long bloom period for this cultivar. You are looking at the very last blossom of the regular season but all the surrounding seedlings are long since done.
JOE BURROW seedling 15-7 (Sally Sue x MARTHA EDSON NORRIS) 8" DOR M 61" DIP We are immensely proud of this introduction and proud to be able to help out in the fight the food insecurity here in southeastern Ohio. We are asking a minimal contribution of $150 in the form of a check made out to a southeastern Ohio food pantry. An additional check for us to cover shipping is optional. If you choose to make the basic $150 contribution we will cover the shipping. As this is for fall distribution any request for spring shipment of other plants will need separate payment. Fall delivery DOUBLE $150
We currently (Feb 2, 2022) have a reasonable supply of this introduction and look forward to getting a nice number of the cultivar into gardens all over the US. One of the very few places where it is now growing is behind the house where Joe grew up in our neighboring The Plains, Ohio. We were pleased to place our standard free division of JB there and spend some time with Joe's father, Jimmy. He is a retired Ohio University football coach. Joe's mother is the elementary principal at Eastern Local in Meigs County, Ohio. Jimmy's retirement allowed him and and Robin to attend every game of Joe's senior year at LSU. They continue to support Joe as a Cincinnati Bengal and went to every game this year that allowed fans. Their commitment to traveling to every game to support their son is the kind of dedication ewe like to see.
Here is an image of Jimmy taken after we planted the division of JOE BURROW at their residence. We are simply calling it "proud papa".
2022- Joe's mother, Robin just let me know that the division of JB growing at his Cincinnati home was enjoyed by Joe.
FUN STORY: During the 2021 bloom season we had some work done by a local contractor. Toward the end of the job he brought along his young son, who had just finished the third grade in the Athens School District. (Joe is a household name in any home in the area.) I played a tiny trick on him and asked if he would like to see Joe Burrow. Of course he readily agreed and I led him over to the sales bed. I pointed out the plant and informed him that that was the name of the plant and I had gotten Joe's permission to name it for him. It only took him a moment recover and see the humor of my little trick. Then I got the inspiration to have him make a cross of his choice on JB. I showed him how to make the pollination and he got an obvious kick out of doing it. And I got a kick out what he said next; Will I be famous? I replied that time would tell. For a moment I thought we were done but got an inspiration. We walked up to the house and I got the ADS registration form out to show him. I pointed out the signature at the bottom and he began to jump up and down. He repeated said, practically shouting, "you got Joe Burrow's autograph, you got Joe Burrow's autograph". There are now four seedlings in greenhouse which as labeled with little Tristan's name and which I raise and let him have to grow when they are ready. Who knows what interest this could spark?