The Hosta Handbook by Mark Zilis (2000), says that this cultivar "...has rightly gained the
reputation as a premier hybridizing plant." It is a seedling of
a hybrid "Vaughn
Seedling 73-2" (H. 'Beatrice' × H. 'Beatrice') x H. 'Frances Williams' that was registered by
Dr. Kevin Vaughn of Massachusetts in 1987. This medium size (12 inches high
by 16 inches wide) plant
has heavily streaked foliage and lavender flowers in late June
or July followed by viable seeds. Its foliage is slightly wavy and corrugated with above
average substance. Zilis (2000) also says
that "In the garden, 'Breeder's Choice' makes an attractive,
splashy specimen plant, but the variegation can be
unstable. I
have seen one sport, 'Breeder's Choice Margined', which has a
green-centered, white-margined foliage." According to
The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), this cultivar is a sibling to 'Mildred
Seaver', 'William Lachman' and 'Christmas
Tree'.
The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by
Diana
Grenfell (2009) states: "Slow to moderate growth rate. Variegation will
stabilize if the plant is not divided every few
years. Among the most prolific of all streaked
breeding hostas and the parent of many well-known
introductions."
An article by Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2011 Vol. 42 No. 2) quotes
Dr Kevin Vaughn discussing H. 'Breeder's Choice', "...was never meant for
distribution as a garden specimen. This because the individual plants can be so
variable in their variegation patterns. Some are handsome and others a bit less
than that; all are fine breeders."
"1997
Registration: H. ‘Breeders Choice’ Starting with
the 1992-1998 checklist and in all registration
journals from 1998 thru the present time, the
"Index to Registrations" at the back of each
issue lists the name as ‘Breeder’s Choice’. This
means that it has been officially published as
‘Breeder’s Choice’. Thus, to confirm, this
serves as "official" recognition of the altered
spelling."
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