Hosta 'Roy's Pink'
 

 

This hybrid of H. kikutii x H. rupifraga is from Dr. Ralph (Herb) Benedict of Michigan but was registered on his behalf by Kevin Walek (Hosta Registrar) in 2009. The small size (10 inches high by 33 inches wide) plant has green foliage. The leaves are ovate, slightly corrugated and dull on top with thick substance. Pale purple (pinkish) flowers bloom in dense clusters in August.

Nomenclature changes recommended in the 1991 book The Genus Hosta by W. George Schmid and accepted by The American Hosta Society would update names as follows:  H. tardiflora is now H. 'Tardiflora'.


An article about Fall Bloomers by Herb Benedict and Jim Wilkins in The Hosta Journal (1991 Vol. 22 No. 1) includes their observations about using fall blooming hostas in hybridizing programs:

1) H. tardiflora  × self Tends to flower 2 weeks earlier. 90% of the progeny have the flowers secund (flowers all on one side of the bloom stalk) and in 10% they are evenly arranged around the central axis of the raceme (nonsecund).
2) H. rupifraga × H. tardiflora Beautiful very tough plant with a taller bloom stalk. Blooms 2 weeks earlier.
3) H. 'Maruba Iwa' × H. tardiflora Taller bloom stalk. Blooms 2 weeks earlier. 30% of progeny have nonsecunded flowers.
4) H. gracillima × H. tardiflora Very nice small plant, with leaves intermediate between the two. Beautiful flowers.
5) H. rupifraga × H. kikutii   The best of this cross is called 'Roys Pink'. It is a perfect intermediate. The leaf is long, heart shaped and very thick. The flowers are pony tail in type, a light pinkish color and spent flowers drop off cleanly.


   

CopyrightŠ 2000 -