Who am I? A hosta ID challenge...

17 years ago

Ok, so last year I bought this hosta labeled as "Lacy Belle Lv Hosta," mostly because it had a couple of interesting streaky leaves on an otherwise non-descript all green hosta. See the 2006 pics of the hosta below.

Lacy Belle? 2006

Lacy Belle? 2006

After I bought the hosta, I looked at the HL, and it looks nothing like the Lacy Belle pics on the HL. This year, as the hosta is beginning to emerge, it looks totally different. NOTHING like the hosta looked last year, and it still doesn't look like the HL pics. See the pics...

Lacy Belle? 2007

Now, granted it is still in the process of unfurling, but I can't believe how different it looks. Upon closer inspection of the tag on the hosta, could it possibly be a seedling of a hosta x Lacy Belle??

Lacy Belle? tag pic

Also, the cool streaky leaves are (so far) nowhere to be found. Anyone have any thoughts on this one? Leaf shape is sort of hard to tell, since it's not totally unfurled yet, but I couldn't wait to post a picture... And before anyone asks, no, I didn't mix it up with another hosta.

Thanks for the help,

Buff

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Comments (12)

Hosta_Haven
17 years ago
Wow, Buff, I don't know what it is but I love the 2007 version compared to the others (even with the streaks)!

Char
jspece
17 years ago
If you are certain that is the same plant, I'd venture to guess the gold center will turn green...like the 2006 plant.

Keep us posted!
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Jo, when I opened you post and saw your picture it took my breath away. My very first thought is it looked much like the Northern Exposure I'd just planted 4 weeks ago. Chris and Ken, I ALWAYS love when you dive into ID'ing a hosta. Your knowledge and logic is refreshing. As I am sure you have noticed from my other posts I tend to treat hostas as an exact science, and it is not. VC used to be a must for me, but how many hostas have 7-9 vp! Note that is a statement, not a ? No one answered your ? about what veins count Jo. You count all paired veins: full, incomplete and the ones that begin at the base as one and divide into two (can't recall what they are called at the moment) are counted as two. I have found they are usually much more easily counted if you look at the underside, as your pictures show. While knowing which hosta is which is still fun, it is just adding to my love of them. My little, apparently stable and therefore rare variegated seedling will never have a formal name, except what is in my heart. I hope you have success with your gift. Theresa This post was edited by gogirlterri on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 9:06
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intrepidgardner
17 years ago
I have an orphan odd-ball hosta with the same characteristics: like...changing. I will be watching closely this Spring as this is two-and-one-half years of growth.(No show, yet, zonal challange, don't cha know)) Can't find my pix right now, but green hosta with some leaves showing a very interesting variagation. Half green, half white. Found in an obscure nursurery in N.WI amongst and between a forlorn table of Francee & whatever. $4.00.

This is the lure & elan of growing hosta, is it not...?

"Like a box of Chocolates...."
Good luck with yours, it's looking like a keeper.
caliloo
17 years ago
Maybe its a mutant Whirlwind?

Alexa
hosta_freak
17 years ago
I can't tell the size from the pic,but it looks sorta like Fantasy Island? Phil
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
17 years ago
first ... i should count how many times i tyope this this year .. lol .. hosta are inherently unstable .... funny things happen in TC or when you divide big clumps ... streaks .. opposites.. etc ...

one thing for sure.. the tag is wrong... and there is no need to save it any longer ... below is my lacy bell ... and my other LB ..... ken

{{gwi:966797}}

{{gwi:966798}}
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
17 years ago
i forgot to mention ... the tag... hosta x lacy belle ... makes NO SENSE AT ALL ....

a proper label would be Hosta 'Lacy Belle' ... it is not a cross of anything ...

i hate improper nomenclature ....

a seedling.. i doubt it.. since we know that 99.9% of seedlings of hosta are green or single color ... and i don't know how it could have gotten to the seed stage while in a pot ...

ken
buff24
Original Author
17 years ago
Hey everyone! Thanks for the input... I'm totally baffled by this one... it came from an obscure nursery in Michigan (near hubby's folks house), and they had a whole shelf of these that all (at the time) looked solid green, all labeled as Lacy Belle.

I will keep an eye on this one, and note any changes... and like Josh said, the center will probably green up. At least I can enjoy the show, while it lasts??

And Ken is right, guess I can throw that tag away, it's definitely NOT Lacy Belle, as the tag says. Guess I've got another "unknown..." And I've learned a lesson about going "impromptu" hosta shopping without my hosta book that has all the pictures/descriptions... Grrr...

Thanks again,

Buff

P.S. If anyone has any other "bright ideas" on what hosta this could be, please feel free to chime in!! All ideas are much appreciated :-)
maryann_____chgo
17 years ago
Buff, I would keep the tag. It's like a birth certificate and part of that hosta's history! Someone went to the trouble of having those labels printed up, it's not like a hand done job. What a mystery!

It will be interesting to watch how that plant develops and if it goes green again later. Keep us posted.
hostamanfred
17 years ago
maryann,
you are right the tag is fine, the name more or less matches the picture on the tag, when comparing it to other references. But it does not match the hosta, growing in front of the tag. Thus, unless Buff buys a Lacy Belle, and knows it is a Lacy Belle, but it comes without a tag, he really doesn't need the tag anymore. Let him throw it away.
Now, trying to find out which hosta he really bought, is an other challange.
Manfred
maryann_____chgo
17 years ago
Manfred, you are right too, however, the point is by keeping the tag at the plant, Buff will always know this is the chameleon hosta she purchased at that obsure nursery in Michigan, regardless of what it turns out to be.
Teresa_MN
17 years ago
Manfred - Buff is a girl

Who am I? A hosta ID challenge...

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