Pic of the Day--plantaginea Aphrodite and Venus

Talk about hostas, hostas, and more hostas! Companion plant topics should be posted in the Shade Garden forum.

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

Pic of the Day--plantaginea Aphrodite and Venus

Post by Hank Zumach »

Hi All--It's hard to know where to start writing about the plantaginea varieties because there is so much that could be said about these special plants. The species parent, Hosta plantaginea, takes up more pages in Mark Zilis' book than any other, probably. Today I'm going to cover both plantaginea 'Aphrodite' and plantaginea 'Venus'. Very briefly, these plants have wonderful (and to my eyes, identical) foliage but the gorgeous, fragrant blossoms are their most outstanding feature. Aphrodite has a double blossom and Venus a quadruple. I purchased Aphrodite and Venus in 2000 and have them growing in spots that get about 3 hours of direct mid-day sun. Both plants are the same size in our garden, having topped out at 54x24. Zilis lists them at 60x24. They do need slug protection. The middle photo is of 'Venus'. The photos of the blossoms are first Aphrodite and then Venus.

Registry - registered under ‘Aphrodite’ - http://hostaregistrar.org/detail.php?id ... =Aphrodite
MyHostas - listed under ‘Aphrodite’ - http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/Aphrodite
Hosta Library - listed under ‘Aphrodite’ - http://www.hostalibrary.org/a/aphrodite.html
------------------------------------

Registry - registered under the name ‘Venus’ - http://hostaregistrar.org/detail.php?id ... iety=Venus
MyHostas - listed under ‘Venus ‘ -http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/Venus
Hosta Library - listed under ‘Venus’ - http://www.hostalibrary.org/v/venus.html
Venus bloom 9-4-03c.jpg
Aphrodite bloom 9-4-03c.jpg
Aphrodite bloom 9-4-03c.jpg (49.12 KiB) Viewed 2838 times
Venus 6-26-03c 203.jpg
Hank
Better Gnomes & Gardens
zone 4B-5A
Latitude: 43° 48' 51" N
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Pieter
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Joined: May 16, 2006 9:18 am
Location: Richmond, BC @ 49°07'49.30 N Elevation: 8ft
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Post by Pieter »

Hank, I purchased Venus last year and it grew nicely for me. However, the scapes and buds developed rather on the late side I suspect as the plant started to go into senescence round about the time I was hoping for the buds to open up. I never got to experience the flowers or their fragrance last year. Here's hoping this year will be a different story!
Pieter

"Never trust anyone who doesn't have dog hair on their clothes."

Pieter's Hosta List
Hank Zumach
Posts: 3262
Joined: Oct 11, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Stoddard, WI

Post by Hank Zumach »

Hi--For those of us in cooler locations, there is a problem with getting the plantagineas to bloom, particularly Aphrodite and Venus. You may have to be patient and might only get the blooms in some years. They are worth the wait.
Hank
Better Gnomes & Gardens
zone 4B-5A
Latitude: 43° 48' 51" N
Deb118
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Joined: Jul 29, 2002 8:00 pm
Location: Some where between here and there

Post by Deb118 »

I can almost smell them, Hank :D
I'm not sure which one I have. Years ago, I rescued some from my mom's that were in the way of new construction of her new porch. I LOVE them! Not only for the foliage, but the blooms. The fragrance, PLUS the beauty of them! :D
"Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly." -Langston Hughes
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zil1
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Joined: May 03, 2002 8:00 pm
Location: Louisiana Z9
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Post by zil1 »

Beautiful Hank! I'm considering these as purchases this year since I'm starting over and Plantaginea was the best performer this far south.

Thanks for the confirmation that I NEED these. :wink:
Liz- Mom to Evan James, b. 12/10/03 and Catherine & David 1/30/06
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ViolaAnn
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USDA Zone: 5a
Location: Ottawa, ON
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Post by ViolaAnn »

I've had Venus for two years now. Last year it rewarded me with huge, fragrant blooms, but I'm not sure that it will do that each year as it doesn't always stay warm enough here.
Venus on August 28, 07
Venus on August 28, 07
Ann
Pictures of Ann's Hostas:
http://violaann.smugmug.com/Garden/Host ... 361_qL3gHS (SmugMug gallery now updated for 2016)
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newtohosta-no more
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Joined: Oct 25, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Ohio, Zone 5

Post by newtohosta-no more »

What gorgeous pics! :D
~JOAN~
My Hosta List

Tomorrow is promised to no one, so love and laugh today.
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Spider
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Joined: May 27, 2007 1:40 pm
USDA Zone: 9A
Location: Tampa, FL

Post by Spider »

Wow!
Spider's Hosta List There are photos there too :)

"I gotta have more cowbell!" SNL

"If your gecko is broken you have a reptile dysfunction."

"If you don't talk to your cat about catnip...who will?"
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