Developed by
Dr. Jamison Harrison of Massachusetts
in the 1960s and registered by
Peter Ruh of Ohio on his behalf in 1999, this cultivar is a seedling of H. 'Tokudama'. It grows
into a medium size hosta about 15
inches tall with a spread of 31 inches and has chartreuse
foliage. The leaves are moderately corrugated and somewhat
unruly. Very pale lavender flowers bloom from late June into
July.
According to
The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "...more likely a seedling of 'Tokudama Aureonebulosa'...During
the 1980s, a blue-green leaved 'Tokudama' was mistakenly sold as
'Bengee'."
"Plant
is a chartreuse-to-yellow H. 'Tokudama'.
Color holds but can be more greenish or yellowish
depending on culture and location. An all-green
taxon is cultivated incorrectly under this name."
Schmid says that this cultivar was named by Royall Bemis
of Blackthorne Gardens in Massachusetts.
An article by Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2014 Vol. 45 No. 1) states that,
"...information from Dr. Kevin C. Vaughn...suggests that H. 'Bengee' likely is
the pollen parent of the popular 'Sum and Substance'. ..What made 'Bengee' so
interesting and desirable in the 1960s, especially to breeders, was it being the
first all-gold 'Tokudama' type." Florence Shaw used it heavily as a parent,"
Kevin recalled."
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