Pic of the Day--Pandora's Box

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Nov 15, 2007 11:58 am

Hi All--There are some hosta varieties that are often described as "eye catching". What is remarkable about Pandora's Box is that "eye catching" definitely applies to it, even though it's listed mature size is only 10x4. If there was a list of the most popular hostas listed by size, I'm sure Pandora's Box would be at or near the top for smaller cultivars. The plant growing in our Friendship Garden had me a bit worried when we first planted it in 2006. It did not have much white tissue and I thought it might be reverting to its all green sport parent, Baby Bunting. But this past summer it came up showing off a normal amount of white. Another plant we have had for eight years in a different bed has had the same slow growth rate that this plant is showing. This plant has measured about 5x3 in each of its two years.

Registry - http://hostaregistrar.org/detail.php?id ... %27s%20Box
MyHostas - http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/Pandora%27s+Box
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/p/pan.html

Roxanne · Post by **Roxanne** » Nov 15, 2007 12:12 pm

Hank, there is a list! The 2006 AHS Mini Hosta popularity poll has Pandora's Box listed as #1, as voted by AHS members, and I agree.

Wish I had a pic of mine, but I can't find one.

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Nov 15, 2007 1:37 pm

Hi--I should have looked to see if there was one. Laziness does have its down-side, I guess.

thy · Post by **thy** » Nov 15, 2007 5:26 pm

Why...Rox did it

I know.. have to wash my dirthy fingers

In a few minutes

Mine is bigger than yours

It is the first time I can say that about Pandoras Box.. .... it actually grow for me in the new grit pot... and I ment it as a sign of mercy when I planted the hard to see one eyed plant ,.. never trust a hosta

baja220 · Post by **baja220** » Nov 15, 2007 7:22 pm

My Pandora's Box looked normal in this pic in May

but lost some the white by the time I took this pic Oct. 5th.

Is this normal or is it doing something weird?

yardmom · Post by **yardmom** » Nov 15, 2007 9:23 pm

Opps! I'm afraid my love for minis must be showing by now!

I don't have a good picture from this year, but here is my Pandoras Box in the garden. PB starts out white and stays white all the way to the end, with no burn out! Nice!

ViolaAnn · Post by **ViolaAnn** » Nov 16, 2007 12:14 am

I've had mine since 2004 and it's growth has been slow (I've moved it a few times which might have an effect.) It DOES, however, bloom for me. Here is is last July. I've not experienced the difference in the amount of white.

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Nov 16, 2007 1:57 pm

Debbie--That looks like a sport to me. And a very nice looking one at that.

That looks like it would something that Chris might be interested in putting on the market.

yardmom · Post by **yardmom** » Nov 16, 2007 6:58 pm

Maybe Debbie's will come up with more white next spring like yours did, Hank. It is a cute little thing with the narrow white stipe. I wouldn't think it was a sport if started out with all the white early in the season and then changed, but you never know!

baja220 · Post by **baja220** » Nov 16, 2007 7:35 pm

I just went out to take a close look at it. All the white is just a thin stripe. So, I made a note in my data base to what it next spring to see if it's sporting.
I have pics with the wide center on May 18 and June 15. Thin center on Sept 4 and Oct 5. So sometime in July and Aug it changed and I didn't get a pic.

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Nov 16, 2007 11:14 pm

Hi--I'm going to send a PM to Chris and ask him to chip in here.

Post by **Chris_W** » Nov 17, 2007 2:23 pm

I don't really know what might be up with Debbie's plant. Sometimes heat can cause a middle variegated plant to green up, but not sure why it would leave a thin stripe like that.

You would have to grow it consistently like that for a while, and maybe even in different gardens to know if it is stable or not.

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Nov 17, 2007 4:01 pm

Debbie--I'm sure Chris is correct. So,...follow his advise and send me a large division next spring to see how it reacts to the conditions here.

Linda P · Post by **Linda P** » Nov 18, 2007 10:16 am

Hank, you are shameless.
Debbie...that's very cool. Let us know how it looks in the spring!
My Pandora's Box went dormant very early this year. We've been in a drought pretty much since the end of August, and I didn't water that bed enough. I'm hoping it comes back okay next year.
Linda P

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Nov 19, 2007 1:09 pm

Linda--Shameless? Me? Of course I am.

Haven't you reached the point in your hostaholism where you have given up all pretense of still having some control?

baja220 · Post by **baja220** » Nov 20, 2007 5:44 am

at Hank!!! I'll put that reminder in my database too Hank.

I think we're all shameless!!