Hosta of the Day - gracillima

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redcrx
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Hosta of the Day - gracillima

Post by redcrx »

In 2010 I picked up a small plant called gracillima. I had it in a horrible spot and almost lost it. It finally flowered last season. A spidery looking flower shaped like laevigata but darker. I liked the flower a lot and decided to make a trough full of it. I ordered a few more from a different source (my mistake but I couldn't get them from my first source). The new ones flowered this season with a completely different and ordinary flower. In researching the topic on dark striped hosta flowers I came across one in the Hosta Library called "gracillima Saizaki Hime Iwa" http://www.hostalibrary.org/g/gracillimasaizaki.html that matches the first gracillima I have.

Here is the new one I got in this season that is the "normal" gracillima.
gracillima - July 4, 2013
gracillima - July 4, 2013
And here is the "unusual" one that got me interested in this one last season - which I think is gracillima Saizaki Hime Iwa.
gracillima - September 11, 2012
gracillima - September 11, 2012
Last edited by redcrx on Oct 28, 2014 2:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
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Re: gracillima

Post by Tigger »

From the HL pics, it seems the plant is rather different from typical H. gracillima as well (much larger, and not as wavy). The specimen we have is a great little plant, but has the more typical flowers. (I'll have to check.)

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Re: gracillima

Post by redcrx »

Darn - I missed getting photos of the big flower. It must only open for a few hours in the afternoon. I have tons of the normal flower opened now - early in the morning.

And looking at the date from last season, the big flowered one is about 2 weeks ahead of time.
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
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Re: gracillima

Post by redcrx »

I was wrong about missing the flower. Turns out it's in a trough with Princess of Karafuto and they were intertwined. The trough had big plants on the ends - something labeled Paul's Glory (which is wrong) and Empress Wu (that had to come out after 3 seasons - started tiny). I potted the big ones and spread the little ones - detangling Princess of Karafuto and gracillima. The gracillima does have a scape which is about a week or more away from flowering.
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
ImageMockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
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Re: Hosta of the Day - gracillima

Post by redcrx »

Here is an update on this one or two. The first page is the lighter wider petaled flower type. The second page is the darker thin petaled flower type. The third page compares the two flowers.

Hosta Registry - not registered - it is a species
MyHostas - http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/gracillima
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/g/gracillima.html

Here is a trough of gracillima in the 2013 season.
gracillima - August 17, 2013
gracillima - August 17, 2013
With an early flower
gracillima - July 4, 2013
gracillima - July 4, 2013
And a late flower
gracillima - August 29, 2013
gracillima - August 29, 2013
gracillima - August 27, 2013
gracillima - August 27, 2013
And late flowers in the 2014 season
gracillima - September 6, 2014
gracillima - September 6, 2014
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
ImageMockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
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Re: Hosta of the Day - gracillima

Post by redcrx »

Here is the darker flower form of gracillima.

Here is the plant in the 2011 season.
gracillima - September 10, 2011
gracillima - September 10, 2011
And in 2013
gracillima - August 22, 2013
gracillima - August 22, 2013
gracillima - September 6, 2013
gracillima - September 6, 2013
And the darker flower in 2012
gracillima - September 11, 2012
gracillima - September 11, 2012
And in 2013
gracillima - September 5, 2013
gracillima - September 5, 2013
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
ImageMockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
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Re: Hosta of the Day - gracillima

Post by redcrx »

Here are the flowers side-by-side

The tube is thinner on the darker one.
gracillima - September 5, 2013
gracillima - September 5, 2013
gracillima light type & dark type - September 5, 2013
gracillima light type & dark type - September 5, 2013
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
ImageMockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
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