Seeds - viable or not?

[ViolaAnn]

I've wondered for awhile now about some of my varieties which NEVER produce seeds and others that produce seeds but not viable plants. I've also seen comments that hostas in the Fortunei family rarely set see, but I've got a Fortunei Aureomarginata and a Francee which are both simply loaded with seed pods. Will those seed pods produce viable seeds?

So, I'm wondering from which varieties I should never expect to see seeds. How about Alleghan Fog and Fujibotan? So far, never a seed pod.

How about Cherry Berry? I've been told it will produce nothing but "fatal whites" and the year that I tried growing those seeds all the plants were indeed white and died quite soon. Is that always the case?

Are there others that never produce viable seeds or viable seedlings? What are your experiences?

Ann

[dmi188]

I never believe reports of viability. Hyacinthina is supposedly infertile. It sets fewer pods than some, but I have some seedlings from it. A plant may produce 99.9% fatal whites, so grow them, and maybe one will be a spectacular plant. I like to play the odds, and work with plants that no one else is. Fertility reports may be based on one persons results for one season. Why not try, and see what you get, if you have the room to grow them.

[ViolaAnn]

I don't have room to grow them, but I don't let that stop me. LOL

I still wonder if anyone has ever gotten seeds from 'Alleghan Fog' or 'Fujibotan'.

[HostaDesigner]

I have grown seedlings from Night Before Christmas knowing that most are also lethal white. (that sounds scary )

Some of the white turned green, rather than dying. Some were even streaked and unstable.

NEVER say never when it comes to seeds.

Night Before Christmas seedlings... Seedling with green stripe (far right middle) became the hosta in the pic below.


NBC F1 seedling.

[ViolaAnn]

Nice looking hosta!

[R. Rock]

Hello,
A simple way to tell if a seed has a chance/viable is too only keep the dark black ones. I crack the pod a little to see what is inside.
Good Luck

[dmi188]

I have grown Allegan Fog...not gotten anything special tho.

[scootersbear]

Glad nobody told me NBC grew whites because I've grown seedlings from it yearly for atleast 6 years, and have seed pods on it this year, nothing special out of it just plain jane greens but goes to show , never know what your gonna get.