Pic of the Day--plantaginea

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

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Hank Zumach
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Pic of the Day--plantaginea

Post by Hank Zumach »

Hi All--Today's variety, plantaginea, exemplifies the term "classic" when applied to hostas. A species, it has been widely grown outside of its native China for over a century and in our garden since 1992. It will grow well in a variety of conditions and does particularly well in sunnier locations. The plant in the first pic is growing in a spot that receives some dappled sun and usually measures about 60x23. The plant in the 2nd pic gets a few hours of direct sun and measured 76x26 last summer, plus it has a lot more leaves. Zilis lists plantaginea at 57x25. The plants are free of slug damage in our garden. Plantaginea and its offspring have what many consider to be the most beautiful and fragrant blossoms of the genus.

Registry - not in the Registry - it is a species
MyHostas - http://www.myhostas.be/db/hostas/plantaginea
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/p/plantaginea.html
plantaginea path 6-27-06c 001.jpg
plantaginea vinca bank 6-26-06c.jpg
Hank
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nanny_56
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Post by nanny_56 »

I so agree, Hank. This is THE classic hosta. I had already decided to add this to my pending order from Chris.

Claudia
Claudia
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SUEDIA
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Post by SUEDIA »

I just love the apple green color of this hosta. The fragrent flowers aren't bad either. :D Mine is just 2 years old and really got hit by frost last year. I covered it up with mulch this year and tried to slow it down. It is coming up and I will have to check how many eyes it has. If we get any chance of frost I will cover with a big tub and a blanket.
Hank love your pictures keep up the good work. My hosta bed is way behind yours but I keep talking to them and tell them to hurry up and grow.
Thanks,
Sue
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Tigger
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Post by Tigger »

"Classic" for sure. One could even debate whether plantaginea, the "August Lily," even qualifies as an "heirloom" hosta. I imagine they've been planted in American gardens for over 100 years. (anyone have a copy of Schmid around to see what he says?) The ones in my garden came from stock at a house I grew up in, where I imagine (based on other plantings there) they were established in the late 40s if not before (and this was in Ohio). They probably have longevity rivaling that of peonies.

Hank, there's serious doubt as to whether any other species in the genus has any fragrance at all. This hasn't stopped some sloppy marketers who would say that any hosta has fragrant flowers.

Note to potential growers: this (and its offspring) are the best hostas for growing in the South. While most hostas require at least 30 days of sub-45° temperatures for successful dormancy, plantaginea can get by with milder conditions. The drawback is on the other end of things: in the North, it is harder to get the seeds to ripen before first frost, making it a little harder to use in hybridization. Luckily, the fragrance trait is passed on through pollen, so one can freeze Autumn pollen for use in May and June the following year.
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redcrx
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Re: Pic of the Day--plantaginea

Post by redcrx »

plantaginea during the 2011 season
plantaginea - August 19, 2011
plantaginea - August 19, 2011
plantaginea - August 24, 2011
plantaginea - August 24, 2011
plantaginea - August 24, 2011
plantaginea - August 24, 2011
plantaginea - August 24, 2011
plantaginea - August 24, 2011
plantaginea - August 24, 2011
plantaginea - August 24, 2011
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
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redcrx
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Re: Pic of the Day--plantaginea

Post by redcrx »

plantaginea during the 2014 season
plantaginea - September 3, 2014
plantaginea - September 3, 2014
plantaginea - September 3, 2014
plantaginea - September 3, 2014
plantaginea - September 3, 2014
plantaginea - September 3, 2014
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
ImageMockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
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redcrx
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Re: Pic of the Day--plantaginea

Post by redcrx »

I found plantaginea in flower earlier this season than last.
Here it is in a group. The bigger ones there are Captain Kirk and Faith.
plantaginea - August 10, 2015
plantaginea - August 10, 2015
plantaginea - August 10, 2015
plantaginea - August 10, 2015
plantaginea - August 10, 2015
plantaginea - August 10, 2015
plantaginea - August 10, 2015
plantaginea - August 10, 2015
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
ImageMockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
billfosburgh
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Re: Pic of the Day--plantaginea

Post by billfosburgh »

i love mine. i got mine from my mother 29 years ago. i have quite a bit of it. have given lots of it away thru the years.
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redcrx
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Re: Pic of the Day--plantaginea

Post by redcrx »

plantaginea started opening its flowers today.
plantaginea - August 28, 2016
plantaginea - August 28, 2016
plantaginea - August 28, 2016
plantaginea - August 28, 2016
plantaginea - August 28, 2016
plantaginea - August 28, 2016
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
ImageMockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
Carol O
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Re: Pic of the Day--plantaginea

Post by Carol O »

I can smell them here!
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redcrx
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Re: Pic of the Day--plantaginea

Post by redcrx »

I found this one in flower this morning. It must have started yesterday in the rain. My camera died getting a front photo so I only have the side view. The open flower, behind my hand, was fragrant even this early in the morning.
plantaginea - August 30, 2017
plantaginea - August 30, 2017
plantaginea - August 30, 2017
plantaginea - August 30, 2017
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
ImageMockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
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