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1) An article about leaf color change by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (1991 Vol. 22 No. 1) cites an extract from
The Genus Hosta by
W. George Schmid on seasonal changes in hosta leaf
colors:
Viridescence |
Emerging with yellow or whitish
color that ultimately become increasingly green. An example is
H. 'Fortunei Albopicta' whose green-bordered leaves have a
beautiful, bright yellow-colored center in the spring that turns to
green by midseason. |
Partial Viridescence |
Emerging with yellow or whitish
color that turns to chartreuse (yellowish green), sometimes a dark
chartreuse. One example is H. 'Kabitan'; two others are 'Golden
Scepter'...and the center leaf coloring of 'Golden
Tiara' . |
Lutescence |
Emerging green or chartreuse and
turning yellow or whitish yellow. The coloring of leaf centers
of 'Gold Standard' ...is an example. |
Albescence |
Yellow, yellowish green or green
areas that turn to near white. Examples are the center leaf
coloring of 'Janet'...and the margins of 'Antioch'...and H. ventricosa 'Aureomarginata'. |
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2)
An article about H. 'Great Expectations' by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (1996 Vol. 27 No. 2) states that, "Everyone
has great expectations for 'Great Expectations' . It is the great hosta dream
(probably throughout the world) to grow a big, handsome specimen clump of 'Great
Expectations'. But it doesn't do well for everyone...About half
the people responding to my call for personal experiences say they have or have
had problems growing it. The others say it is doing "fine" and cite the growing
conditions...There is no consensus yet other than 'Great Expectations' :
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is a slow grower, |
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forms an open clump (not a tight mound), and |
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doesn't have leaves that exhibit the undesirable
characteristic called "burning," "scalding," "browning," or
"rusting" as does 'Color
Glory' (a.k.a., 'Borwick Beauty'),
which also is a sport with a bold bue-green border of H. sieboldiana
'Elegans. |
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3)
An article about H. 'Aurora Borealis' by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (1997 Vol. 28 No. 1) states that, "Most, if
not all, of the descriptions of this cultivar state it emerges from the ground
three weeks later than does 'Frances Williams'.
This is incorrect. It emerges perhaps three days later, if that. I am responsible for the
error."
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4)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (1997 Vol. 28 No. 1) states that, "H. 'Blue Blush' is described in nursery catalogues as "small" or "dwarf." In fact,
when mature it is neither small nor dwarf. As a young plant, 'Blue Blush' is
small, perhaps an 8-inch mound. But after about 5 or so years, it takes off and
becomes a medium size plant. The 'Blue Blush' registration by the
British Hosta
and Hemerocallis Society if for a young - not mature - plant...Sandra
Bond says that if you want to keep 'Blue Blush' small, keep dividing it. She
adds that 'Hadspen Heron', another in the
Tardiana Group, responds in the same
way."
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5)
An article by
David H. Stevenson,
Hosta Registrar in
The
Hosta Journal (1997 Vol. 28 No. 1) states that, "Flowering times of a given cultivar or species vary significantly from region
to region...The intent is for those using these descriptions to be able to judge
flowering time of a given cultivar against common species which they might have
in their own gardens."
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6)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (1998 Vol. 29 No. 1) discusses the fact
that many variegated hosta cultivars are considered "unstable." This means that
all or individual divisions of the clump may revert to either a solid color or
other form of variegation. You may end up suddenly have a single colored hosta
or you will need to separate a solid colored division from the clump. Three
nurseries were cited who include notations about "Unstable" hostas. The
following is a composite list of those cultivars mentioned:
Pollock stated, "...there are scores and scores, maybe
hundreds and hundreds, of other unstable hostas..."
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7)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2000 Vol. 31 No. 1) states that, "H.
montana 'Auroeomarginata' (AHS - 87). With its wide gold border, this large
hosta is a harbinger of spring, but note that because it emerges from the ground
very early it can get nipped by frost."
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8)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2000 Vol. 31 No. 1) states that, "H.
'Diamond Tiara' (Zilis - 85). This is my favorite member of the Tiara Group
because its green leaves having a white border don't lose their pizzazz and
become blah as do its siblings, such as H. 'Golden Tiara' (Savory - 77) and the
gold leaved H. 'Golden
Scepter' (Savory - 83) in my garden come summertime."
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9)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2000 Vol. 31 No. 1) states that, "H. 'Brim
Cup' (Aden - 86)...Many gardeners report this hosta is hard to grow. There is
tearing of the wide gold borders, normal to the green center, as the leaves
emerge during spring growth. This is believed due to the tensile stresses that
develop between the border and center coloring when the leaves develop their
deep bowl shape. I find that heavy fertilization promotes this ugly appearance.
A well grown 'Brim Cup' is a very handsome hosta, well worth experimenting
with."
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10)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2000 Vol. 31 No. 1) states that, "H.
'Great Expectations' (John
Bond is originator; Paul Aden named and introduced it
- 88). When attendees to the 1997
AHS National Convention in Indianapolis saw
the 'Great Expectations' clumps in the tour gardens, many couldn't believe how
huge they were...This led to much discussion on why this hosta does well in some
gardens and not in others...H. 'Great Expectations' and
H. 'Dream Weaver' both
have green or bluish green leaves. The difference is the variegation...H. 'Great
Expectations' has a prominent "maple-leaf-like" (for lack of a better
descriptive term) pattern in the leaf center and the creamer center
variegation...The center leaf pattern of H. 'Dream Weaver', on the other hand,
is more "spear-like" with more than 1/2, often as much as 2/3, of the leaf
surface being green or bluish green."
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11)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2000 Vol. 31 No. 1) states that, "H. 'Inniswood'
(Inniswood Metro Gardens - IAC)...I find this hosta to be slow growing, but a
large specimen is a show stopper."
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12)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2000 Vol. 31 No. 1) states that, "H. 'Sum
and Substance' (Aden - 80)...This hosta's magnificence is site-specific, needing
quite a bit of sun to look its best."
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13)
An article about H. 'Uzo-no-Mai' by
W. George Schmid in
The
Hosta Journal (2002 Vol. 33 No. 2) states that, "One
tiny hosta has caused more consternation and disappointment among gardeners than
any other: H. 'Uzo-no-Mai'...Liberally translated, the
Japanese name means
"dancing eddy." When one views the plant from the top, with some imagination,
the leaves look like a whirlpool.
Mark Zilis gives the sad results...writing "I
have seen it die in both gardens and containers."
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14)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2003 Vol. 34 No. 1) states that, "In my
view, boat-shaped or "keeled" is a better descriptor than folded. The leaf blade
curves upward from the midrib similar to how a canoe looks...H. 'Stetson', 'Cowrie',
'Banana Boat', and 'Blue Canoe' are some other hostas with this folded or keeled
leaf shape."
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15)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2003 Vol. 34 No. 1) states that, "H. 'Sum
and Substance' is believed to be an open-pollinated seedling of H. nigrescens 'Elatior'
and, according to Ben J.M. Zonneveld, of the
Netherlands it may be a triploid."
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16)
An article by
C.H. Falstad about the stability of colors in hosta leaves in
The
Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 1) says, "However, in a
variegated plant, when the cells don't stay in place, the leaves can end up all
one color, as when 'Guacamole'...goes back to 'Fried Green Tomatoes'...In rare
instances, a complete pattern reversal can occur, as with 'Flame Stitch'...from
H. ventricosa 'Aureomarginata'...and 'Eskimo
Pie'...from 'Northern Exposure'..."
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17)
An article by
C.H. Falstad about the stability of colors in hosta leaves in
The
Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 1) says, "The least
stable hostas tend to be those with streaked leaves...In September, 1982 I found
the first streaked forms of 'Krossa Regal'...Today, more than 20 years later,
most of those clumps remain predominately streaked...In comparison, I once owned
a plant of 'Yellow Splash'...Within a year or two, it turned entirely into
'Yellow Splash Rim'..."
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18)
An article by
C.H. Falstad about the stability of colors in hosta leaves in
The
Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 1) says, "Some plants,
like the streaked form of 'Fragrant Bouquet'...appear to stabilize so quickly to
a margined variegation that few if any hosta collectors who ordered the streaked
form have ever seen it. If indeed the streaked form was sent to them, it's joked
that it stabilized while being shipped in the mail."
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19)
An article by
C.H. Falstad about the stability of colors in hosta leaves in
The
Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 1) says, "For some
reason, cultivars in the H. fortunei Group, in particular 'Fortunei Hyacinthina' are much more prone to sporting than most other varieties. These
hostas are the source of some of the early-found, popular variegated sports
including 'Francee'...and 'Gold Standard' ...and some more recent finds such as
'Striptease'..."
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20)
An article by
C.H. Falstad about the stability of colors in hosta leaves in
The
Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 1) says, "Other plants
tend not to sport often. Take for example 'Dorset Blue'...In
the tens of thousands of plants propagated at
Walters Gardens, I have seen only one sport in
our stock."
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21)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2008 Vol. 39 No. 2) quotes
W. George Schmid: "H. 'Tsugaru Komachi' ('The Little Maiden from Tsugaru')...is variegated
but unstable. Though [the green form] is most commonly known by 'Aoba Komachi' [Ao
means "green" and Aoba means green leaf], this name may not be specific
enough because there are other all-green hostas that look just like the
reverted, green form of 'Tsugaru Komachi'...My opinion is it should be 'Aoba Tsugaru Komanchi' to indicate it is specifically the green reversion of 'Tsugaru Komachi'."
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22)
An article by Kevin Walek in
The
Hosta Journal (2008 Vol. 39 No. 2) states that, "H. 'Candy Dish' and its pod parent, 'Urajiro Hachijo', probably a form of
H. longipes, both show potential for breeding outstanding piecrusted
cultivars...Think about how many people coveted 'Donahue Piecrust' for its wavy
edge and coloration. Now think about the same look on a much smaller leaf, with
a much smaller and tighter clump. You can imagine the possibilities."
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23)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2008 Vol. 39 No. 2) states that, "Paul
Aden in The Hosta Book mentioned that medio-variegated hostas develop
plain-leaved forms more readily than margin-variegated hostas. My observations
are that 'Revolution' develops all-green leaves more readily than
'Independence'
does. Apparently this is to be expected because 'Revolution' has more white
tissue than 'Independence' -- and it's white tissue that wants to "re-green"."
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24)
An article by Ben J.M. Zonneveld,
Warren I. Pollock ,
Rob Mortko and
Steve
Chamberlain in
The
Hosta Journal (2009 Vol. 40 No. 1) states that, "Every
few years, a totally new kind of hosta cultivar appears. Hosta 'Stitch in Time'...is such a cultivar...Why 'Stitch in Time' has this unusual leaf
structure is a mystery. Also a mystery is why, in propagation...by tissue
culture, the percent of true-to-type plants is abnormally low; there is an uncustomarily large number of solid green and solid yellow culls.
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25)
An article by
W. George Schmid in
The
Hosta Journal (2009 Vol. 40 No. 2) states that, "In 2007,
I published a survival strategy for one of the most challenging, yet
fascinating and unique hostas under the sun: Hosta 'Uzu-no-Mai'...This cute
little cultivar requires very exacting cultural requirements to remain a bundle
of joy in a pot."
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26)
An article by
W. George Schmid in
The
Hosta Journal (2009 Vol. 40 No. 2) states that, "...'Tortifrons'.
This is yet another of the "difficult ones."...We think 'Tortifrons' was
originally found as a wild sport. It has been in Japanese cultivation for many
years but it has never been located in the wild."
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27)
An article by
W. George Schmid in
The
Hosta Journal (2009 Vol. 40 No. 3) states that, "Hosta
'Tattoo' is one of the most unusual hostas
on the planet. Some successful gardeners grow it well and just love it, but
others consider it their nemesis...Tony Avent's Plant Delights Nursery offers a number of unusual hosta
cultivars with even more unusual names, such as 'Get Nekkid', 'Banana Puddin'
and 'Tattoo'...Considering the fact that 'Tattoo' has 'Tokudama' in its
background, expected slow growth and I got it...Before I got 'Tattoo' number 2,
I decided to look around for it when visiting gardens here (Georgia) and in
other states...My research made one important fact clear to me: All of the
"successful" gardeners grew 'Tattoo' in pots sitting in a water-containing
saucer or in pots with a built-in bottom that holds water. That technique was so
successful that some gardeners here in the South even brought potted 'Tattoo'
plants through our drought."
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28)
An article by
W. George Schmid in
The
Hosta Journal (2009 Vol. 40 No. 3) states that, "Over
the last 40 years I have learned that any plant with
H. sieboldiana or 'Tokudama'
in its background cannot stand drought."
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29)
An article discussing H. 'Sum
and Substance'
by Walter Cullerton in
The
Hosta Journal (2010 Vol. 41 No. 1) states that, "...not
one of my favorite hostas...at an AHS Convention...I was sitting next to a young
chap from across the pond...He asked me if I liked vase shaped hostas, and I
quickly responded, "Yes, absolutely." He then suggested that I grow 'Sum
and Substance' as a three- to five-crown plant. When I got home, I proceeded to
follow his suggestion and placed the plant in a 10 gallon or so terracotta
planter...Wow! Ever since then, I've kept "ole S&S" in that planer, culling out
several new crowns every spring to maintain the three to five crowns and the
wonderful vase shape."
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30)
An article about H. 'Empress Wu' by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2011 Vol. 42 No. 1) quotes
Brian Skaggs:
"It is one of the first up...and one of the first to flower. Go figure! What is
really nice is that 'Empress Wu' holds her flowers right at or just above the
loftiest leaves. (One H. 'Elatior' in the world is enough!). For the hybridizer,
she keeps pumping flower scapes over a long period. How sweet!...Also, the dogs
very much enjoy the cool soil in her high shade on a warm summer day."
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31)
An article by
Rick Goodenough in
The
Hosta Journal (2012 Vol. 43 No. 1) states that, “H.
‘Scalloped Potatoes’ wears its piecrusting proudly on rounded, deeply veined
leaves that are held upright on a large, mature specimen.”
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32)
An article by Rick Goodenough in
The
Hosta Journal (2012 Vol. 43 No. 1) states that, “H.
‘Belmont Stakes’ is just plain pretty with its wonderfully wide, neat and tidy
cream-white edges…makes a very tidy border specimen.”
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33)
An article by
Warren I. Pollock in
The
Hosta Journal (2015 Vol. 46 No.2) states that, "During
the 50 or so years that 'Francee', a diploid...has been cultivated, some 75
sport descendents have been reported. About 20 are diploid and for the most part
of lesser interest...the tetraploid sports...have been of principal attention.
Examples are first generation H. 'Patriot' that sported...H. 'Loyalist' that
sported...H. 'Revolution that sported...H.
'Independence'...H. 'Minuteman' and
H.
'Pathfinder'...sported several tetraploid second generations of commercial
interest."
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