By Oliveoil
Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
Baby Hostas
I saved and planted seeds from my favourite Hosta - please can anyone tell me do they come true to the parent plant or do they cross.
- 29 Jun, 2012
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collecting seeds
Answers
Interesting may I ask, does that mean, say at a school fair, you could sell them as 'Hosta' but nothing more specific Owdboggy? I have seen plants for sale at local fairs etc and often wondered why the grower was not more specific in the name.
29 Jun, 2012
Thank you for your replies I was giving them away so it doesn't matter about them as I understand, I cannot remember if it was a Hybridised one or not it has been in the garden for ages no name tag so no idea. Good excuse lol. Thank you again for your replies.
30 Jun, 2012
Exactly. To be called the same name as the original plant they have to be a piece of the original plant. Sounds silly but every Hosta Big Ears is the same plant split into many thousands of pieces. That is if it is the true Hosta Big Ears.
Very often when you see plants sold under the generic term 'Hosta' without a specific name, it is because either the seller does not know the name or as you think, they have been grown from seed.
A species Hosta, like H. venusta would come true from seed (unless cross fertilised by another Hosta) and could be sold as Hosta venusta.
One of the reasons why some plants are no longer anything like the description of the original (as published in a specialist journal) is because they have been grown from seed and each generation changes slightly.
30 Jun, 2012
Thanks from me too Owdboggy.
30 Jun, 2012
And before any of the real experts jump on me, the above is a simplistic explanation, I know.
30 Jun, 2012
Suited me just fine Owdboggy, as I understood it.
30 Jun, 2012
simple is just fine, that is all the explanation I need for my little brain thank you Owdboggy, great explanations, very much appreciated.
30 Jun, 2012
Simple is good Owdboggy! I didn't know any of this but now I do - if i can remember it.
30 Jun, 2012
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The species comes true, the hybrids don't. But you may have something good in the new plants and as long as you do not want to sell them under the name of the plant from which you took the seed then it is not going to be a problem.
29 Jun, 2012