Hosta
'Jim Wilkins'
 

Dr. Ralph (Herb) and Dorothy Benedict of Michigan registered this self-pollinated seedling of H. 'Dorothy Benedict' in 1990. It is named for their close friend, the former president of The American Hosta Society and a former hosta registrar, Dr. Jim Wilkins of Michigan.

With leaves that are cupped, heavily corrugated with thick substance, this plant forms a large size mound about 20 inches high and 40  inches wide. In late June, it begins to produce near white flowers.

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "...varies from plant to plant, but most specimens now exhibit gold-centered, dark green-margined leaves. Dr. Ed Elslager of Michigan utilized this cultivar in his breeding work."

An article about H. 'Dorothy Benedict' by Herb Benedict in The Hosta Journal (1991 Vol. 22 No. 1) states that, "During 1990, the six best, 7 year old seedlings were named and three were registered.

#1. 'Gil Jones' A large upright H. 'Sieboldiana'-type, with blue-green leaves and a wide cream edge.
#2. 'Jim Wilkins' A low spreading reverse with a cream center and with a blue-green border on its leaves.
#3 'Hideko Gowen' A tall, upright reverse with a maple leaf cream center, a wide green edge and a thick cupped round leaf.
#4 'Tom Boy' A small, slow-growing miniature H. 'Sieboldiana' with a chartreuse edged, cupped, round green leaf.
#5 'Ruby Benedict' A low, spreading, very gold leaf with a green edge, and a very puckered, round leaf.
#6 'Bashful Polly' A wavy edged, splashed leaf.

Another 'Dorothy Benedict' seedling, grown and registered by Jim Wilkins, is 'Herb Benedict', a splashed, round leaf with blue overtones and winner of the Savory Shield Award in Jackson (MI), 1988, for the best new seedling growing in a National Convention of The American Hosta Society tour garden."

An article in The Hosta Journal (1999 Vol. 30 No. 2) states that a pot of this cultivar sold for $1,400 at The American Hosta Society Convention auction that year.






   

Looks as if the specimen shown above has reverted to the H. 'Sieboldiana'-type solid colored plant.

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