Pic of the Day--Ginko Craig

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Hank Zumach
Posts: 3262
Joined: Oct 11, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Stoddard, WI

Pic of the Day--Ginko Craig

Post by Hank Zumach »

Hi All--From time to time I have commented about hosta names. Ginko Craig is one of the names that I thought was, well, a bit strange. Until I read Zilis' description of the plant, I had never heard of someone with the first name of "Ginko".....Mr. Craig's wife. hmmm. Interesting. Another interesting note about Ginko Craig, is that it is one of the parents of Atom Smasher, Ron Livingston's unique introduction.

Ginko Craig is another variety that just seems to quietly chug along, doing its job of attractively filling up it's assigned garden space. Its good growth rate, mound shape and size make it very useful as an edger. It does begin to look a bit tired by the end of the season and needs help in the battle against slugs. I have had the plant since 1999, growing in a spot that gets up to about 3 hours of afternoon sun. In the last five years it has measured 39x13, 36x12, 34x16, 33x12 and 36x14. Zilis lists it at 44x14.

Registry - http://www.hostaregistrar.org/detail.ph ... ko%20Craig
MyHostas - http://www.myhostas.be/db/hostas/Ginko+Craig
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/g/ginko-craig.html
Ginko Craig 6-24-02c 072.jpg
Hank
Better Gnomes & Gardens
zone 4B-5A
Latitude: 43° 48' 51" N
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Tigger
Posts: 2727
Joined: Oct 14, 2001 8:00 pm
USDA Zone: 6b - 7a
Location: SE Penna Zone 6b (7a?), lat. 39°50'
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Post by Tigger »

Ginko Craig deserves special discussion for hosta growers, I think. It has perhaps the largest distinction between its juvenile form (sort of like Allan P. McConnell, with a modest margin) and its adult form (lance-shaped leaves with wider margin), as Hank shows here. And from what I've seen, the "puberty" period is almost non-existent: one year (maybe the "leap" year?) the plant will suddenly appear in its adult form. If you want to keep the juvenile form, as you would see the plant when purchased, you need to divide regularly.

Here's a pic I found (see also the Hosta Library) of a juvenile-looking plant:
Image
tcs1366
Posts: 20
Joined: Jun 04, 2007 4:50 pm

Post by tcs1366 »

Hank,

Thanks for that "report".

I just got my Ginko Craig this year and so far, very happy with it.

Always thought the name was odd... but now I know the logic behind it.

Terese
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renaldo75
Posts: 10306
Joined: Jul 15, 2002 8:00 pm
Location: SW Iowa Z4b

Post by renaldo75 »

I don't remember mine ever having the real narrow margins like the one Tigger is showing. :-? Guess I need to look at some 2003 pics & see...
GO HAWKEYES!!!

Renaldo's Hosta List
Latitude: 40° 59' 17.6676"; Longitude: -94° 44' 28.014"
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Patrushka
Posts: 6571
Joined: Sep 06, 2002 8:00 pm
USDA Zone: 5a
Location: Zone 5 - Indiana

Post by Patrushka »

That white edge just make it pop. :D Very pretty Hank! :cool:
Pat
My Hosta List

Keep your face always toward the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind you.
~ Walt Whitman
tcs1366
Posts: 20
Joined: Jun 04, 2007 4:50 pm

Post by tcs1366 »

here's mine. It's sorta "ratty" since it was just planted about 6 weeks ago.
Ginko Craig
Ginko Craig
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