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Hosta Categories?

16 years ago

I know that Grenfell and Shadrack organize hostas by color and pattern (e.g., "marginally variegated"), as do most hosta growers. I was thinking today about all my hostas (two new ones: 'Sun Power' and 'Whirlwind,' for what it's worth) and thinking that I might have a different, personal list of color categories.

What do you think? Any others/changes/suggestions?

(After this I'll probably do a "favorites" in each color category, just for my own obsessions...if there is one for each...and if not, there would be a project for hosta breeders... :-)

Green - Solid (GS)

Green margin, white center (GW)

Green margin, yellow/gold center (GY)

Green margin, chartreuse center (GC)

Green margin, blue center (GB)

Blue - solid (BS)

Blue margin, white center (BW)

Blue margin, yellow/gold center (BY)

Blue margin, chartreuse center (BC)

Blue margin, green center (BG)

White - solid (WS)

White margin, green center (WG)

White margin, blue center (WB)

White margin, yellow/gold center (WY)

White margin, charteuse center (WC)

Yellow/gold - solid (YS)

Yellow/gold margin, green center (YG)

Yellow/gold margin, blue center (YB)

Yellow/gold margin, white center (YW)

Yellow/gold margin, chartreuse center (YC)

Chartreuse - solid (CS)

Chartreuse margin, green center (CG)

Chartreuse margin, blue center (CB)

Chartreuse margin, white center (CW)

Chartreuse margin, yellow/gold center (CY)

I also figure I can add an L or V for lutescent and viridescent varieties.

-Mary

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Comments (9)

sugarman
16 years ago
I know two categories of Hosta's : those that I have and those that I want :D

About to the categories you suggest, I 'm not sure. There are so many hostas that don't easily fit in the listed categories. What to do with hostas that change color over the year? Where do you put First Frost? WB or YB??
Where do we list Hanky Panky or June, that will both show completely different colours in function of the amount of sun exposure
lindac
16 years ago
I think you have categories for which no hosta fits...ie white margin blue center...if there's one like that let me know..
And where do streakers fit?
Perhaps what is so appealing about hosta is the fact that the same plant can vary so.
I was watering this afternoon and noticed a piece of Francee that I took from a plant in about 1/2 day sun and planted in the shade....the leaves are about twice the size, the whole plant is larger and if I hadn't carved off a couple of eyes 2 years ago myself, I wouldn't believe it's the same plant.
In your classifacations you also ignored plant shape...like praying hands and halcyon are both bluish hosta....but very very different in shape.
Linda C
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Wow. I was thinking that poor Paula is probably happy that the Hosta Alphabet is almost completed because it was a lot of work. But now you want to add more categories! Way to go. I'm happy about that! One of my favorite jokes in your Hosta Alphabet is the one where if you want to see your family, just turn off the router! How true! In my area we can have a lot of power outages. My family comes out of the woodwork then and they haven't got a clue as to what to do with themselves! LOL Suggestion for categories: flowers--buds and open.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
white margin blue center.. arisocat .. which i cant grow...

and just about every lachman introduction ... of which i cant think of a single one.. TOOO MUCH PRESSURE ...

ken
User
16 years ago
I was searching for a standard key for this just the other day....unsuccessfully.
Janice
16 years ago
Lindac, 'Pizzazz'--maybe?
lynnem
16 years ago
Cory's Beauty for a blue with white margin.
Teresa_MN
16 years ago
lindac wrote: "In your classifacations you also ignored plant shape"

I would say that was because Mary clearly stated this was a: "personal list of color categories".
papou
16 years ago
Jim Hartman makes an annual survey...I believe for the Hosta Library...not sure...and he uses the following

10 categories:
1. Green
2. Blue
3. Yellow/Gold
4. White-margined
5. Yellow-margined
6. White-centered
7. Yellow-centered
8. Streakers
9. Unusual ones
10. Red petioles
Then for each category is a list of the favorite Giant, Large, Medium, Small, Dwarf/Minis.

That survey which is carried out on both Hallsons and here on Garden Web works fine for me.

Papou
hosta_freak
16 years ago
Just one thought,Linda. My Praying Hands is variegated,not at all like Halcyon,which is just blue.Were you thinking about a different hosta? Phil

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