Sports & Crosses
Sport of Fortunei Hyacinthina, separated from its parent 2yrs ago. Hopefully stable now. Looks a little like H.’Julie Morss’ (although the colours appear bright and strong as soon as the leaves emerge), perhaps a smaller version of H.’Warpaint’, or possbily most like H.’Moonstruck’. Images of all of these are below.
Sport of Fortunei Hyacinthina, separated from its parent 2yrs ago. Looks like a larger version of H.’Diamonds Are Forever’ with the wide variable cream margin and slightly rippled edge. The picture was taken in mid April though, so I would expect the leaves to grow larger and change shape.
Sport of Fortunei Hyacinthina, separated from its parent 2yrs ago. Some nice streaking still evident in its second year; let’s hope it lasts. I’ll try to get some seed from it this year.
H.’City Lights’ sport, separated from its parent 1yr ago. This type of solid sporting is usually temporary – the leaves emerge back with their normal colouration the next year. However, this is the second year that the plant has shown this same colouration.
H.’Undulata Albomarginata’ sport. A more variable margin than the parent, almost showing signs of misting/streaking into the margins.
Streaked Varieties
In part, to provide variety and interest to the crosses I’ve started to make, I have acquired about 40 streaked hostas. Of course, I also like their unique appearance – and I’m hoping for more of them, whether bought or created!
‘Striped Weasel’ end-April 2017 (not fertile)
Lookalikes
Some sports with a shared parent are said to be very similar in appearance to each other. It seems that the more popular the parent, the more popular the sport; the more popular the sport, the more are offered for sale; the more offered for sale, the greater the chances of similar plants. A cynic may argue that similar sports are produced for more commercial reasons in many cases.
Take a look at the pictures below and decide for yourself…….
One of the most popular group of sports must surely be the Halcyon family. The white & yellow-margined sports are certainly some of my favourites – but are some of them identical to each other?
Valley’s glacier mid-April 2017
First Frost mid-April 2017
H.’Valley’s Glacier’ is a sport of H.’First Frost’. It’s said to have a wider margin. On this evidence, it’s wider, but only slightly.
El Nino mid-April 2017
Sleeping Beauty mid-April 2017
Blue Ivory mid-April 2017
Great Escape mid-April 2017
H.’Blue Ivory’ & H.’Great Escpae’ are certainly very similar. Both have a slight misting towards the margin, but the misting seems more pronounced on Great Escape, whilst Blue Ivory has slightly wider margin.
‘Sagae’ mid-April 2017
‘Majesty’ end-April 2018
In the Shade Tunnel
Some of my favourite early risers.
Most of the hostas in the shade tunnels are up and well in leaf now by mid-April 2017
‘Deane’s Dream’ mid-April 2017
‘Dinner Jacket’ mid-April 2017
‘Dinner Mint’ mid-April 2017
‘Golden Oriole’ mid-April 2017. A wonderful vivid, bright gold, set off by the undulating leaves. The colour doesn’t come through as well as I’d like however on this photo.
‘Komodo Dragon’ mid-April 2017
‘Moonstruck’ mid-April 2017
‘Mourning Dove’ mid-April 2017. Another great subtle blue. I like the grey undertones coupled with the thin yellow margin. And not an expensive hosta at all!
‘Red Bull’ mid-April 2017
‘Remember Me’ mid-April 2017
‘Ringtail’ mid-April 2017
‘Skylight’ mid-April 2017. The leaf shape and powder-blue colour makes this one of my favourite blue hostas.
‘War Paint’ mid-April 2017
‘Wheaton Blue’ mid-April 2017
‘William Lachman’ seedling mid-June 2017. Bought at auction as a 1 year seedling in August 2016. Showing good streaking and stable for now.