Pic of the Day--Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

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Hank Zumach
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Pic of the Day--Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

Post by Hank Zumach »

Hi All--Pineapple Upsidedown Cake is another variety purchased in 2000. I had been disappointed in the growth rate of the plant based on Zilis's listing of 66x20 for a mature plant. After looking at the plants in the Hosta Library, it appears that few, if any, gardeners have plants that reach the size that Zilis obtained as the originator of the variety. Pineapple Upsidedown Cake was also slow to develop its dark green edges. However, by 2005 the plant had become one of my favorites and I can say that it was well worth the several years of waiting. Starting in 2001 it measured 21x11, 22x13, 32x21, 37x19, and 45x22. Slugs have only been a minor problem.

Registry - http://www.hostaregistrar.org/detail.ph ... own%20Cake
MyHostas - http://www.myhostas.be/db/hostas/Pineap ... edown+Cake
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/p/pineapple.html

The pix are from 2002 and 2005.
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake 62605c.JPG
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake 6-24-02c 223.jpg
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake 6-24-02c 223.jpg (51.66 KiB) Viewed 2715 times
Hank
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mum2knm
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Post by mum2knm »

This one is on my wishlist :)
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ViolaAnn
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Post by ViolaAnn »

Lovely plant, but regrettably it will have to be admired from afar unless I could maintain it at a width of about 36" by dividing it often.

Ann
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loisf
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Post by loisf »

I planted my small Pineapple Upsidedown Cake in 2006. It didn't increase very much in 2007, but after reading Hank's post and seeing his photos, I'm really looking forward to 2008, or maybe 2009. I guess patience is required when growing hosta. Thanks, Hank.
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MollyD
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Post by MollyD »

I got mine from Chris last year and by August I had to divide it to remove an eye that was reverting to the all green version (also nice). PUC immediately put on new growth for the fall and looked almost as good when it came time to say goodnight.

One of my favorites.

MollyD
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Mary Ann
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Post by Mary Ann »

Yours is bright and upright, Hank, I like that. :D Mine was purchased in 2001. I find it hard to get pictures of it that look as pretty as it is. Here's the best 2 from my file.
2007
2007
Worms' eye view from 2005
Worms' eye view from 2005
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Chris_W
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Post by Chris_W »

I really like the composition of your second picture Hank!

This one can revert back to the solid green plant 'Pineapple Poll' but more than likely if it is going to sport it will be to the solid yellow 'Pineapple Juice'. Some of the earlier TC runs actually produced a lot of the solid yellow ones and some PUDC were sold without the green edge.

More recently a green centered, yellow margined plant was found by Amy Bergeron at Walters Gardens and named Pineapple Punch. We found the same sport here, too, but only on half an eye so I spent a couple years isolating it. Last summer I finally got a complete stable eye of it, and then Amy told me she already had it :lol:

At our old place, land of the hot, dry, sunny but acidic growing beds, I had a clump of Pineapple Upsidedown Cake that was getting to be very large with leaves that were huge compared to a young plant. The leaves were very upright and very wide, looking more the shape and size of Ginsu Knife. I moved that clump here to the land of cool, moist, shady but ridiculously alkaline soil and it shrank, seeming to revert back to the juvenile form... We're working on the pH now. Who would have thought the soil would have such a high pH in a town called Cement City???

Anyway, here are pictures of the rest of the family.
pineapple_punch.jpg
pineapple_juice.jpg
pineapple_poll.jpg
Image
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MollyD
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Post by MollyD »

In addition to Pineapple Poll I got one eye that had leaves that were half green lengthwise. I wonder if that will come back next spring.

MollyD
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moongirl
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Post by moongirl »

I've had my eye on this one for a while. Some of my shade is starting to 'grow up' so maybe soon...
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Eleven
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Re: Pic of the Day--Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

Post by Eleven »

'Pineapple Upsidedown Cake', with leaf centers that bleach very pale:
Image
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redcrx
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Re: Pic of the Day--Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

Post by redcrx »

Here is one of mine. The other was rabbit food.
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - April 30, 2012
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - April 30, 2012
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - August 9, 2012
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - August 9, 2012
And some photos from last season:
(this one got eaten this season)
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - June 10, 2011
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - June 10, 2011
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - June 10, 2011
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - June 10, 2011
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - July 25, 2011
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - July 25, 2011
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
ImageMockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
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