Highway in bloom

Dave Niswonger's dream of beautifying the new interchange on Interstate 55 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson with a special variety of daylily he hybridized is about to come true.

The "Missouri Highways" daylily is bright yellow, and thanks to Niswonger's donation of 3,000 of the plants and volunteer help from Southeast Missouri State University students, the East Main Street-LaSalle Avenue interchange should start showing its color next summer. The daylily project will best be viewed by northbound motorists near the on and off ramps. Delayed by surface rock and the need for several truckloads of dirt, the planting is now set for Saturday.

The "Missouri Highways" daylily was developed by Niswonger -- who has gained world renown for hybridizing more than 250 new varieties of iris along with new dahlia, gladiolus, berry and nut varieties -- to stand up to the growing conditions along an interstate highway. The university will be responsible for caring for the flowers.

When the new plants are established, they should provide a spectacular display at full bloom, rivaling the swaths of red poppies planted in interstate medians throughout Tennessee.

Hats off to Niswonger, whose involvement in this special project will leave a lasting tribute to his generosity and botanical expertise. We hope this idea catches on and spreads all over Missouri. Special thanks also go to the Missouri Department of Transportation for its "Growing Together" landscaping initiatives and help with this project.