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Naming Hostas, by Glen Williams I have thought about this topic for a long time (which is no guarantor of the results) because when I first started buying hostas I bought by name and impulse. I did not know enough to find the right resources for pictures, and even now as an American Consumer I find myself warming to a name and "going for it". First I would state that naming hostas seems pretty idiosyncratic. There are the pleasures of naming a hosta after a friend or colleague.This is easy to respond to if one knows the person. This makes a neat little syllogism. I know John. John is a good person. The hosta is named after him therefore it is good. I buy it. There are any number of hostas named after hosta luminaries. It is always neat to check these out. If one doesn't know the person then the hosta remains a blank. Rule of thumb: It probably better not to name a hosta after yourself. You can suggest and hint at it, but if in maturity it develops negative characteristics, there goes fame and fortune. There are some purely descriptive names which can not be faulted for their accuracy. 'Spilt Milk' is such a name. One look at the leaf and one realizes that it is a perfect name. One might argue about this but the number of perfectly named hostas which hold a tangible description in the name are limited. 'Green Piecrust' may. 'Fused Veins' may be another. Not easy to do. 'Big Green Hosta' was my attempt from the summer. I shall probably elevate it by calling it 'Bigus Greenus Hostus' . I have my doubts. The poets in the group. The names of hostas from this group are always wonderful even when they lie through their teeth. I will set aside the whoppers and the metaphorically challenged and list what I consider to be the truly inspired ones. 'Frosted Jade', 'Great Expectations', 'Witches' Brew' 'Northern Mist', 'Halcyon', 'Blue Troll', 'Aztec Treasure','Azure Snow', 'Jade Cascade', 'Solar Flare','Mountain Snow','Angel Eyes', 'Chantilly Lace', 'Falling Waters',.....this list is endless and very subjective. Of my impulse buying this group has most often won my heart if not my mind.It does seem better to expend these poetic forays on hostas rather than children. I am thinking of Moon Unit and Dwezzle which would have been kinder appellations in the botanical community than in our animal kingdom. As to humor there are some wonderful names out there. Tony Avent does not have a monopoly but it is close. 'Out House Delight','Elvis Lives','Red Neck Heaven', .... There are also some whimsical ones like 'Minnesota Weather', 'Bridegroom', 'Abba Dabba Do' , 'Strip Tease', and my personal favorite 'Sagae'. Mostly the humor from this arises from my attempts to say the word.As well as hearing others bluff their way. Metaphors from nature seem to do well. . The letters G and S offer more alphabetical listings than other letters. The Seavers are partially responsible for this with those sibilant listings. G makes a big list because of all of those gold and golden named hostas. Aden has some wonderful names as do the Lachmans and the Benedicts. Other than singletons I think that the Seavers and the owners of Walden West have got good things going. In both case you have a recognizable prefix ( Sea and Abiqua) which identifies the breeder and still allows for poetic license. Aden has done the same thing with an "Abba" prefix but I am not sure if any of these are even on the market. Charlie Seaver has extended the Sea appellation into a nautical nomenclature and that works well too. I am still waiting for the following named hostas to come on to the market; 'Bloody Mary', 'Scarlett O'hara', 'Red Menace', and 'St. Valentine.' |
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AAA Ornamentals,
8S953 Jericho Road, P.O. Box 277 ~ Big Rock ~ Illinois |