Hallson Gardens

How often is the fertility listed incorrectly when a hosta is registered? An example is Abiqua Drinking Gourd. Hostaregistry.org has it listed as not setting pods. I have seedling from it grown from last year's seeds. Is information listed incorrectly because hybridizers are in too much of a hurry to register their plant or did I just get lucky ?

Thanks,
Jim

Hi Jim - I'm sure there's some incorrect info about hostas that are rushed to registration, but I'm sure each plant is a different case & it could depend on weather conditions as well. And some hostas act differently in different regions too.

I think my ADG has set seeds before, but they were all OP & I've never tried to grow them. Every once in a while an OP pod will set on a hosta that's thought to be sterile. I think Blue Mouse Ears is one I've heard of that happening with before.

I'd check Hugo's database at the Hosta Library or check Pat Mora's database if you or Josh has access to it now. There's a lot more detailed info on that one.

I got a cute little op seedling from Blue Mouse Ears last winter. Nothing special, but cute. I put it in the garden first thing this spring. It was fine all summer. I can't wait to see how it develops.

I'm not expert on hosta hybridizing, but have often seen with daylilies the phrase: "difficult pod parent"; I'm guessing that hostas are similar, in that some do not set pods easily, and may be thought infertile, when actually it is merely difficult, not impossible. Also, some hostas and/or daylilies may be described as infertile, and seldom if ever set pods, but are actually good pollen parents.

I just now went and looked at the registration at Lemke's Database, says 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd' is fertile.

I have several seedlings from "infertile" hostas. BME is one example. It had 30 or 40 flowers bloom, set one pod, and out of 6-8 seeds, produced 2 seedlings. Low enough fertility to not bother with, I guess.