Greek legend has it that Zeus would award his newly-built city to the god that offered the best present. Poseidon offered a magnificent war chariot, but Athena won - thus the city was named Athens - with her gift of the olive tree. The olive branch became a symbol of peace and achievement - the winners at the Olympic games were given olive branches.
The Romans picked up both the cultivation of olives and the symbol of the oliver branch from the Greeks. A defeated army would carry olive branches as symbols of peace.
In the Hebrew Bible, Noah on his ark during the great flood sends out a dove to search for signs that the flood waters were receeding. Finally the dove returns with an olive leaf in its mouth, a sign that God's wrath is sated and that He is offering peace to mankind.
I think this symbolism is one of the two reasons that my wife selected Olive Branch as her all time favorite hosta. In a contentious and belicose world, she has always done more than her share to create peace around her. In the hosta world we have names like Victory and Invincible and First Strike and A B-1 Bomber... so it is kind of nice to have a little balance with the lovely Olive Branch.
Her second reason for selecting it is that it is an oddball. Many hostas are described as unique, but only a few have characteristics that are truly unique so that they really set the plant apart. Olive Branch comes from humble beginnings. It is a sport from Candy Hearts, an old standard all-green hosta with heart-shaped leaves that has been around since the 70's. Candy Hearts passed on the traits of nice heart-shaped leaves, formation of a very nice mound, vigor and unfussiness.
But the special appeal of 'Olive Branch' comes from its unique coloration. Good green leaves have wide margins surrounding a center color that is just not found consistently in any other hosta. People can't agree on what to call it. Of course, to some it is olive. To others, it is "butterscotch." It's hard to capture the real color tones in the camera. I think my images make the center look more yellow than it truly is.
It does change somewhat through the season, but not dramatically. To some, it is a little drab. Compared to 'Touch of Class' or 'Orange Marmalade', it certainly doesn't grab the eye initially.
But once approached, the peaceful beauty of Olive Branch can really grow on a person.
So my wife selected it as her favorite because it is different, maybe not as "beautiful" as some others, but always interesting in an offbeat way.
Which may go some way towards explaining her putting up with me for more than 40 years!
Hosta Registry - http://www.hostaregistrar.org/detail.ph ... e%20Branch
MyHostas - http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/Olive+Branch
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/o/oliveb.html
I did not realize that it was a sport of Candy Hearts. I've had CH for years.
