H. 'Derriere' is official!

[jgh]

(We've been in Honduras for 6 weeks, and it may be a while before I can get back to visiting on the Hallson forums, but I just dug through our bin of mail and found the latest AHS Journal and Hosta Registration booklet - and this was too much fun not to share...)

Back at the 2010 AHS Convention, I enterred an unregistered hosta, planted in a chamber pot with a miniature roll of toilet paper. I labeled it "H. "Derriere" - a hosta so ugly it lives in a chamber pot." It won a blue ribbon.

I decided that since people seemed to get a kick out of it, I'd register it and maybe use it as a novelty item for fundraisers/auctions.

I submitted the paperwork. A while later, while on one of our trips, I started getting communications about the naming. There was a question whether or not H. 'Derriere' would be accepted for registration. There is a stipulation in the guidelines about "offensive" names. I was asked to provide reasons why Derriere should be accepted. In a nutshell, I argued that derriere is considered one of the "acceptable" terms for broadcast when other simpler terms are considered too vulgar... made some nice strong points...

Then I added a second part - basically saying I was irritated that I had to defend such a silly thing and asked "Are you the same people who approved of Satisfaction and Climax and Striptease and Hanky Panky and G String and... Little Stiffy, for goodness sake?!

I ended by asking them to please vote to deny the name. I told them I would then put it into production and market it as the first "Banned Hosta" and make some serious money!

The advisory committee voted - and Derriere was accepted.

Shucks!

Actually, I think Warren Pollock was a little disappointed. He thought he'd get a better story if the name was denied. He might still include it in the column, but it's not as much fun this way.

Anyway - I was pleased to see that they accepted my comments for the "Notable Characteristics" section without editing. It reads

" starts small and regular but tends to spread with age"

It's not easy to get a joke into print in the AHS Registration booklet... usually pretty dry reading... made my day!

[rosemarie]

That is great, Jim!! The Name and your defense!!!

[Justaysam]

Congrats! Kind of wish they would have denied it, I like the "first banned hosta" selling potential for you.

[kaylyred]

Great story, and I love the joke description!

How annoying that you had to defend a name like Derriere. Honestly, it's just like you mentioned--'Little Stiffy' is okay but Derriere is not? Some folks at the AHS need to lighten up just a bit.

[thy]

Ohh Jim, if you had not argued

[kHT]

What a great story!! So when is it going to be for sale?

[viktoria]

A picture would be nice!

Viktoria

[redcrx]

Victoria, check pictures 7,8, and 9 in this topic:
http://www.perennialnursery.com/forums/ ... =1&t=53447

[jgh]

thanks, Ed... I'd forgotten... that's a fun link!

It was an error to refer to Derriere as a seedling... it is a sport from Heart and Soul, which is a sport from Vanilla Cream. For some reason, about half of my H&S tissue culture purchases some years back sported to all-green... I kept them in the row to use when I needed a quick, easy, round-leafed green plant for a container... and the round leaves reminded me of cute baby butt-cheeks!