Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
None of which are variegated.
Hosta by seed
- Thread starter Pitoon
- Start date
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
No, they show right away, and even then often fade to all green.
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
Here's the difference between them. @Forsoothe! you will be the first to know when the colors show since you want to see variegation so bad, lol.
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
Ok, get some seed.....sow and show!
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
Green is the default condition. White, yellow, chartreuse, or red is evidence of unstable cells or chimera. Unstable cells are unstable and can be in the process of evolving to green, or they can stabilize in less than fully green or white which is the absence of green (cells with chlorophyll). 
This is Mom...
This is probably Dad...
Notice how Dad is evolving more all green divisions over time and this year I will be diving this and replanting only the most variegated back in this position.
This is Mom...
This is probably Dad...
Notice how Dad is evolving more all green divisions over time and this year I will be diving this and replanting only the most variegated back in this position.
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
Nice. Did you hand pollinate? If not how can you be sure which are the parents ......you have hostas all over of different types.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
I'm not really pursuing a particular program and don't even collect the pods every year anymore. You have to beat the bees and I don't get out in the yard early enough these days so I just let them whore around. These two un-named streaked breeders have been as productive as I was when I was picking and choosing pollen donors, so I don't cage or protect the opening flowers anymore. There are so many thousands of named varieties now, and the vendors only will commercialize something really special, so I just grow some on and have only stumbled on one really great one that may be available next year, 'Michigander'...
Actually, not a seedling of mine, but a sport of a seedling of 'Sutter's Mill' in my yard. I have a seedling that is of unknown parentage, 'Hooray!'...
I like 'Hooray!' better, but the vendor doesn't think it's worth pursuing. It takes 3 years minimum and 5 to $10k to bring something to market, so who am I to argue the point.
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
I'm not that much of a fan for the yellow and green variegation. I like the light green dark green variegation like guacamole. I'm hoping the seeds in the square pot give me something close to it. What do you think? Is there a chance for it since they don't show nothing as of yet.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
No. If you look at my seedlings you'll see all sorts of streakiness, from greater to lesser, one side, both sides, etc. They will continue to evolve and most will finish looking like 50 others that are already registered. A good one is one that survives the ten-foot rule: You can readily see that it is distinct from ten feet away. I don't know of any mini's that look like 'Guacamole', and mini's are hot in the marketplace now. Breeding little ones is of course harder to do. The size of the parents do not necessarily correlate with the size of the offspring. When people run out of room in their yards, they start collecting... mini's!
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
Here's what the look like today.....
Nice work and information, is it possible to dwarf them by keeping them in smaller containers? I know there are Hosta varieties that are naturally dwarfed and smaller - and I prefer them on the smaller size.
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
I would think if you plant one seed you can probably keep it small in a small pot. Planting multiple seeds in a small pot was just too much competition with all the roots and not enough substrate.
I still have some left over seed if you want to give it a try. PM me your address and I'll put some in the mail for you.
That's a generous offer, thank you Pitoon. I harvested a lot of seeds this fall (mostly trees, but a few hosta mixed in) and I'm about at my limit for the season.
