Mickfield Hostas news

Issue 30 | June 2009

Welcome to the 30th issue of our newsletter
This month we continue our look at the the origins of h. 'Dorothy Benedict' with a newsletter about her grandparent, h. sieboldiana 'Elegans'.
This hosta can boast parentage to a suprising range of cultivars, read on to find out more...

H. sieboldiana 'Elegans'
The following table lists sports, hybrids and crosses from h. sieboldiana 'Elegans' that we have in our collection. The list is arranged chronologically with unregistered cultivars listed in the side column:

H. 'Blue Umbrellas'	H. 'Blue Umbrellas' is a cross with h. 'Tokudama' registered in 1978	H. 'Regal Ruffles'
	H. 'Regal Ruffles' is a cross with h. 'Ruffles' registered in 1980
H. 'Helen Doriot'	H. 'Helen Doriot' is a cross with h. 'Frances Williams' registered in 1982	H. 'George Smith'
	H. 'George Smith' is a sport registered in 1983
H. 'Irische See'	H. 'Irische See' is a cross with h. 'Tardiflora' registered in 1983	H. 'Lilac Giant'
	H. 'Lilac Giant' is a hybrid registered in 1983
H. 'Puckered Giant'	H. 'Puckered Giant' is a hybrid registered in 1983	H. 'Northern Halo'
	H. 'Northern Halo' is a sport registered in 1984
H. 'Frances Williams'	H. 'Frances Williams' is a sport registered in 1986	H. 'Northern Sunray'
	H. 'Northern Sunray' is a sport registered in 1987
H. 'Brigadier'	H. 'Brigadier' is a cross with h. 'Hirao Supreme' registered in 1988	H. 'Great Expectations'
	H. 'Great Expectations' is a sport registered in 1988
H. 'Nightlife'	H. 'Nightlife' is a cross with h. 'Invincible' registered in 1988	H. 'Northern Mist'
	H. 'Northern Mist' is a sport registered in 1988
H. 'Northern Exposure'	H. 'Northern Exposure' is a sport registered in 1997	H. 'Metallic Sheen'
	H. 'Metallic Sheen' is a cross with h. 'Sum and Substance' registered in 1999
H. 'Stonewall'	H. 'Stonewall' is a sport registered in 2001
	We will complete this mini parentage story in the August issue of the newsletter. As some hostas are losing the vibrancy of their spring variegation we think it is a good time to return to the subject of viridescence.

PSST...another website milestone
We recorded over 824,000 hits for May - a huge thank you to all our readers.

H. sieboldiana 'Elegans'
Although little is known about h. sieboldiana 'Elegans', breeders have used it extensively to produce cultivars featuring the fabulous colouring and rugosity of the leaves.

H. sieboldiana 'Elegans'
sieboldiana Elegans

Registered by the AHS
in 1987.

The Tardiana Group
Some of the most popular modern hosta cultivars are the result of breeding
h. sieboldiana 'Elegans' and h. 'Tardiflora' to create the Tardiana Group. This sub-division of the genus has produced classic cultivars such as h. 'June' and h. 'Touch of Class'.
Find out more...

We also have several unregistered sports, hybrids and crosses of
h. sieboldiana 'Elegans', in our collection - see overleaf:

H. 'Barbara Ann'
is an eye-catching sport

H. 'North Atlantic' is a cross with h. 'Tardiflora'

H. 'Golden Meadows'
is a viridescent sport

H. 'Oder' is a cross with
h. 'Tardiflora'

H. 'Paradise Blue Sky' is a cross with h. pycnophylla

H. 'Prince of Wales'
is a cross with h. 'Montana'

H. 'Serena' is a cross with h. 'Tardiflora'

H. 'Temptation'
is a stunning sport

H. 'Thunderbolt'
is a sport

Next month:

We return to the subject of viridescence in hostas.

Subscribe > | Unsubscribe > | Archive >