"Why are so many hostas named after people?"

Post by **Chris_W** » Jul 08, 2015 9:19 am

A customer asked me this over the weekend and said they are tired of so many hostas being named after people. I told them that sometimes it is like a vanity plate, but also sometimes an honorary thing. What are your thoughts on this?

Tigger · Post by **Tigger** » Jul 08, 2015 2:10 pm

I think this is not as common as it once was, when there was a tradition of honoring mentors by name in this way. Perhaps we have run out of mentors.

I'm surprised that Don Rawson's lists don't include one with all the people-named hostas. There are a few of them that are popular, all though I don't know I would say "so many." Maybe that would make a fun thread here. A quick start with the classics—both people and hostas—and others in our garden:

Frances Williams (hosta person)
Olive Bailey Langdon (hosta person)
Allan P. McConnell (hosta person)
Alex Summers (hosta person)
Gene Summers (hosta person's wife) (don't have this one)
Jim Hawes (hosta person)
Mildred Seaver (hosta person)
Betsy King (hosta person? I only know the hosta)
Katie Q (Mark Zilis's wife)
Ann Kulpa (hosta person John Kulpa's wife/mother?)
Emily Dickinson (poet) (and of course her brother/sibling hosta Austin Dickinson)

There is also the set of Art Wrede's plants with names like Miss Linda Smith and Miss Ruby.

(as to famous hosta people, I note there are not yet hostas named for Mark Zilis nor Hans Hansen. H. 'Chris Wilson', anyone?)

David

P.S. In the 2013 registrations (156 total; not a big year), there were only two straight-up people names (one being named for tennis player Andy Murray) and one more sort-of name name (Delona's Smile).

Post by **Chris_W** » Jul 08, 2015 2:38 pm

Is Hosta 'Hans' named for Hans Hansen? Sorry, but Hosta 'Chris Wilson' won't have any marketing appeal, and besides, since I believe the hosta should fit the name it would have to be a short, somewhat fat hosta, maybe with a bit of a blond edge to it, and it would have to have a poor, dry sense of humor.

Thank you for the list! You can add to that, alphabetically from our current catalog:

Andrew
Barbara Ann
Barbara May
Brother Ronald
Brother Stefan, named for Olga Petryszyn's brother Stefan
Elvis Lives
Justine
Krossa Regal
Laura Lanier
Limey Lisa
Marilyn Monroe
Paul's Glory, named by (for?) the introducer Paul Hofer
Queen Josephine
Robert Frost
Roy Klehm
Veronica Lake
Virginia Reel
Wily Willy (just a fun name, maybe not really after a person)

If we could add the background on these names, like who they were or why these were chosen, it would be interesting, rather than simply a list like I've put here. Maybe later I'll add to it

Mountainy Man · Post by **Mountainy Man** » Jul 08, 2015 3:19 pm

Here are a few more;

Julie Morss- Hosta person
Eric Smith- Hosta person
Eunice Fisher- Hosta person
Dorothy Benedict- Hosta person's wife
George Smith- hosta person
Ginko Craig- Hosta person's wife
Maekawa- Hosta person

There are also all those US Presidents too.

pauhaus · Post by **pauhaus** » Jul 08, 2015 3:31 pm

This sounds like a fun thread. In my garden, besides the ones listed are:
Amos
Peter Ruh (hosta person)
Steve Moldovan (hosta and daylily person)

redcrx · Post by **redcrx** » Jul 08, 2015 4:01 pm

And vice-presidents

Elbridge Gerry

Post by **Chris_W** » Jul 08, 2015 4:28 pm

Just took a minute to walk through the garden and within a few steps I saw:

Diana Remembered
Nancy Gill
Big John
Tracy's Emerald Cup

Now I really want to do more research to find out how these all got their names. Some are easy, but others?

redcrx · Post by **redcrx** » Jul 08, 2015 5:34 pm

From Art Wrede's work:

Already mentioned were:
Miss Ruby
Miss Linda Smith - Art mentioned to me that a woman was touring/buying from his stock and was talking to him about plants with peoples' names on them. He pulled out one of his dark-leaved plants and named it after her.

Some others of his (from the hostaunderground web site):
Mr Jack
Mr Blue
Mr Red Genes
Mr Black
Miss Alicia - Named for Jeff Moore's youngest daughter
Miss Melanie
Miss Susie
Miss Angie
Miss Shamim - a Miss Angie seedling I named
Miss Grace - named for a city in Maryland near where Art lived "Havre de Grace"
Miss Jody's Special
Miss Missey
Fine Art

---------------
For my own plants:
Orange Rose (R) - sport of Gypsy Rose (another name) - the leaves looked orange to me when it sported and my wife's name is Rose
Aurora's Glow (R) - sport of Gold Standard - named for my granddaughter
Stephanie in Moonlight (NR) - sport of Gold Standard - named for my daughter
Matthew's Sharp Edge (NR) - sport of Independence - named for my son
Trisha's Sunny Paradise (R) - sport of Paradise Sunset - named for my sister
Jezebel (R) - sport of Striptease - named by my son after I explained the naming of some Striptease sports
Lottie (R) - sport of Hanky Panky - had the garden name of Slate Arrow Heads for a few years because of the center color but I changed my mind after learning of a contemporary of Gypsy Rose Lee named Lottie "The Body" Graves

----------

Some others:
Athena
Audra Wilson
Calamity Jane
Carin's Wedding
Don Quixote
Gunther's Prize
Gunther's Rim
WIlliam Lachman
Alan Titchmarsh
Judy Rocco
Lady Godiva
Patricia the Stripper
Joshua's Banner
John Wargo
Jack of Diamonds
Janet
Janet's Sister
Harry van de Laar
Holly's Dazzler
Abby

Carol O · Post by **Carol O** » Jul 08, 2015 6:52 pm

After reading the first list, I thought
Bob Axmear had a hosta named for him, he does and when checking to make sure, there is, also,
Bob Deane
Bob Olson

and I think there's one named for Bob Axmear's daughter, too, but I don't remember her first name.
Jeff Moore has also named some for his grandchildren. Quiet Wyatt I can think of off the top of my head.

I think it's grand to name hostas for people you like, even if they may never be highly sought after.

Post by **Chris_W** » Jul 08, 2015 8:52 pm

How could I forget Hosta Tom Schmid, named and registered by Tom Schmid who has a hosta nursery near me.

Pieter · Post by **Pieter** » Jul 08, 2015 10:40 pm

Carol O wrote:......
and I think there's one named for Bob Axmear's daughter, too, but I don't remember her first name.

That'd be 'Kristy Axmear'.....

Tigger · Post by **Tigger** » Jul 08, 2015 11:06 pm

LOL at Virginia Reel. That's a dance, not a person! Clearly one can stretch the idea of a "name" name, to the point where the customer might have had a point about "so many."

Post by **Chris_W** » Jul 08, 2015 11:44 pm

Wow, thank you for letting me know that one. I had no idea

- See, we need to know the background to these things more LOL

Carol O · Post by **Carol O** » Jul 09, 2015 12:32 am

Wasn't Veronica Lake the rich girl in the Archie comic books?
Then there are TV characters,
Barney Fife
Batman
Captain Kirk

redcrx · Post by **redcrx** » Jul 09, 2015 3:36 am

A few others that come to mind mostly from my collection but when you look at the Hosta Library there are MANY more:

David Reath
Adrian's Glory
Aliyah's Grace
Amazing Matthew
Robert's Rapier
Alley Opp
Amber Tiara - I know it's for the color but you could push the point
Anne
Anne Arett - registered by her in 1975
Amazing Grace
Annabel Lee
Aphrodite
Robert Frost
Atomic Elvis
Zager's White Edge
yingeri - named for the plant collector Barry Yinger
jonesii - named for the botanist Dr. Samuel B. Jones
Xanadu Virginia Mary
Venus
Victor
Baby Kim
Barbara Ann
Bill Brincka
Bobbie Sue
Bogie and Bacall
Brenda's Beauty
Lacy Belle
Lady Isobel Barnett - British hosta grower
Lakeside Miss Muffett
Lakeside Missy Little
Lakeside Ninita
Li'l Abner
Libby
Little Aurora
Little Jim
Louisa
Lucy & Ethel
Carol
Catherine
Cleopatra
Clifford's Stringray
Cordelia
Cynthia
Dick Ward
Dax - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character
Dinky Donna
Don Stevens

Don_in_Colorado · Post by **Don_in_Colorado** » Jul 10, 2015 5:11 am

I think Bob Solberg should have a plant named in his honor. H. 'Solberg's Beard' or something...

Post by **Chris_W** » Jul 10, 2015 11:03 am

Yes, I'm sure there will be a Solberg plant some time - Bob's Beard has a ring to it

A 'Mary Chastain' plant would be fitting as well.

Carol O · Post by **Carol O** » Jul 10, 2015 11:24 am

So Chris, to answer the question, I think it's because hosta people like people, and like to honor them by naming a hosta for them. If your customer is tired of them, there are plenty more to choose from.
I just read a novelized book on Hulda Kluger, the Lilac Lady and she named her hybrids for people around her. That was in the late 1800's/early 1900's.

Post by **Chris_W** » Jul 10, 2015 12:25 pm

I don't really think it is a bad thing, just putting the question out that this one customer posed. Some hostas sell really well as a plant no matter what it is called. Ann Kulpa and Tom Schmid are two of them off the top of my head, and Frances Williams is up there too. Hostas, in my opinion, will have a broader appeal with a name like Paul's Glory. Imagine if that plant was named Hosta 'Paul Hofer'? I wonder if it would be as popular.

Thanks for the discussion

Post by **Chris_W** » Jul 15, 2015 10:45 am

Was walking around and noticed Hosta 'Margie's Angel' here too. It is a Solberg seedling registered in 2007 and I couldn't find any information about how it got its name. Nothing all that special about it as a hosta (yet) so I'm hopeful it will improve with age.

Hallson Gardens

"Why are so many hostas named after people?"

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