This is a seedling of a cross
between H. 'Sum and
Substance' × an H. venusta
seedling made by
Mark Zilis of Illinois and Doug Lohman
of Ohio who registered it in 1988. A medium size (17 inches high) plant,
it has moderately wavy leaves that are generally smooth. It has
red petioles and
bears medium purple flowers in July. According to
The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), this cultivar "...offers attractive, very shiny, dark green
foliage, a fast growth rate, and a decent flower performance."
Mark Zilis (2009)
also says that this cultivar came from the same seed pod as 'Golden
Decade',
'Courtesy', 'Little Razor', and 'New Wave'."
Of
the five plants registered from seeds that all came from
one seedpod, 3 ('Leather Sheen', 'Little Razor' and 'New
Wave') were jointly registered by Doug Lohman and Mark
Zilis. The other 2 ('Golden Decade' and 'Courtesy') were
registered solely by Mark Zilis.
A Photo Essay article by Steve Chamberlain in
The
Hostta Journal (2010 Vol. 41 No. 1) makes comments about
H. 'Leather Sheen', "Mark Zilis and
Doug Lohman registered this cross between the
giant 'Sum and Substance' and the
tiny H. venusta in 1988. In
maturity it makes a spreading carpet reflective of
H. venusta, but with the thick substance of
'Sum and Substance' and dark green, shiny leaves."
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