Pic of the Day--Brim Cup

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

Pic of the Day--Brim Cup

Post by Hank Zumach »

Hi All--Back in 2002 I conducted an unscientific, internet based poll of the worst hosta varieties. The list is available at the Hosta Library. Brim Cup easily made the list. It has a very well deserved bad reputation for developing ratty, torn, holey leaves. That is the way my plant was each year soon after I purchased it back in 1994. Then in 2002 I finally gave up on it and moved it to Loser's Lane where there is mostly dappled sun. Much to my surprise, Brim Cup has been a much better looking plant since then. It still has a tendency to develop a few ragged edges but for the most part it does OK. Since it's previous location wasn't in very much sun, it seems unlikely the dramatic improvement was due to the relocation, particularly since almost all gardeners have bad problems with this variety. In any event, while Brim Cup's appearance has improved, the plant has not grown well. Zilis lists it at 40x14 and my plant has only averaged about 19x8. Slugs usually have left it alone. The pix are from 2003, probably the best year Brim Cup has had and 2006.

Registry - http://www.hostaregistrar.org/detail.ph ... Brim%20Cup
MyHostas - http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/Brim+Cup
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/b/brimcup.html
Brim Cup 6-26-06c 004.jpg
Brim Cup 6-26-03c 045.jpg
Hank
Better Gnomes & Gardens
zone 4B-5A
Latitude: 43° 48' 51" N
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renaldo75
Posts: 10306
Joined: Jul 15, 2002 8:00 pm
Location: SW Iowa Z4b

Post by renaldo75 »

That 1st pic of it would sell a lotta Brim Cups if people didn't know the rest of the story, Hank. On hostas like this, your POTD is the best public service announcement there could be. :wink: It seems like I've read in the past that if you don't give Brim Cup any extras [like fertilizer] that it does better & doesn't have the tearing. But that might have been for Knock Out. I get the 2 confused...
GO HAWKEYES!!!

Renaldo's Hosta List
Latitude: 40° 59' 17.6676"; Longitude: -94° 44' 28.014"
Hank Zumach
Posts: 3262
Joined: Oct 11, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Stoddard, WI

Post by Hank Zumach »

Hi--Here is the way the plant looked in late 2003. Ugly, but not anywhere near as bad as it looked in the years before being moved.
Brim Cup 9-30-03c 071.jpg
Hank
Better Gnomes & Gardens
zone 4B-5A
Latitude: 43° 48' 51" N
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caliloo
Posts: 3406
Joined: Dec 07, 2004 5:11 am
USDA Zone: SE PA z6
Location: SE PA Zone 6/7

Post by caliloo »

Yikes! :eek:
Spring - An experience in immortality.
- Henry D. Thoreau
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newtohosta-no more
Posts: 15270
Joined: Oct 25, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Ohio, Zone 5

Post by newtohosta-no more »

I appreciate your honest assessment of hostas too, Hank. It's really a shame that some start out looking so gorgeous and then turn all ratty and holey later in the season.
~JOAN~
My Hosta List

Tomorrow is promised to no one, so love and laugh today.
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greenguy
Posts: 276
Joined: Dec 20, 2004 8:08 pm
Location: Ohio, Zone 5

Post by greenguy »

I agree with renaldo the first two pics are of great looking plants and that is my guess as to why people are still selling them
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addieotto
Posts: 192
Joined: Jun 18, 2006 7:57 pm
Location: Southern NJ Lat: 39° 47' 17.916" Lon: -74° 59' 13.56"
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Post by addieotto »

LOL! I love the tour of loser's lane the past couple of POTD's. I especially love the "here's how it looked at its worst" photos! But Renaldo's right... that one photo would sell a lot of plants :lol:
SUE
My hosta blog: http://myhostagardens.com
wzbt03
Posts: 555
Joined: Aug 26, 2006 7:02 am
Location: Southern Wisconsin
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Losers Lane

Post by wzbt03 »

I always thought it was impossible to get a free hosta and not get a good deal.
Brim Cup is the exception.
I looked bad last year and this photo is from today, imagine how it will look in a month.

There is one place it would look very nice - in someone else's garden. Then you can point and laugh.
Brim Cup.jpg
rufie98
Posts: 175
Joined: Apr 14, 2012 1:01 am
USDA Zone: 6

Re: Pic of the Day--Brim Cup

Post by rufie98 »

Here is a picture of my Brim Cup in 2011. It looked pretty much the same in 2012 with four eyes. I grow it in a container and have left it in the same pot I bought it in and have not added any fertilizer or compost. No ratty edges or splitting was noted. Seems to be a slow grower.

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ViolaAnn
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USDA Zone: 5a
Location: Ottawa, ON
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Re: Pic of the Day--Brim Cup

Post by ViolaAnn »

I hope it continues to do well for you. I gave up on mine years ago, but must note that it looked pretty good the first year or two.
Ann
Pictures of Ann's Hostas:
http://violaann.smugmug.com/Garden/Host ... 361_qL3gHS (SmugMug gallery now updated for 2016)
rufie98
Posts: 175
Joined: Apr 14, 2012 1:01 am
USDA Zone: 6

Re: Pic of the Day--Brim Cup

Post by rufie98 »

Will have to see what 2013 brings. Hopefully it will do well and I will have a new picture to add here. If not, I certainly will not replace it. I bought it when I didn't know anything about hostas. At this point I am considering it to be a challenge!
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