March 2000

Hosta & Ornamental Grass Enthusiasts Newsletter
AAA Ornamentals @ http://www.hostas.com
Vol. 3, No. 3, March, 2000

What's New on our Web-Site?

20% Off Spring Order Special on Ferns! I forgot to add Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum') on my price lists and shopping cart (dumb!). So, to get them rolling, any order can now have them at 20% off regular price, making the price $6.00 per plant, with the order of any other plant. These are great hardy plants for shady spots. 5 or more plants, they will only be $5.00 each plant. I have 140 ferns remaining at this time, so they will probably go fast!

Well, extensive greenhouse work has kept me quite busy. However, I do have a new site search by keywords now available. The format returns pages similar to the major search engines. The entrance to the search is available on our home page at http://www.hostas.com.

What's Been Growing

My greenhouse looks and smells like a fresh spring day! It is truly nice to see a hosta again. Hosta montana 'Aureo-marginata' is especially striking.

I have had a few questions regarding zones. The zones marked on the plants are the coldest zone that the plant can survive without winter protection. All warmer zones up to and including zone 9 are good for most plants.

Brand-new potting medium for this year. A special ingredient this year is 'Rock Wool'. That's right, a wool looking substance make from superheated rock. It has great moisture holding ability which helps to ensure an even more healthy and vigorous potted plant. I hope that will notice this change this year. It is a bit more expensive than the standard soil-less composted pine bark medium that most growers use, but heck, you're worth it!

Hostas

I don't know why exactly, but an emerging hosta to me is extremely fascinating. The long winter's wait is suddenly eclipsed by the breaking of dormancy. The petitoles emerge, the leafs begin to unfurl, then suddenly a mini hosta plant. The plant then continues it ever expanding half globe until it reaches it appointed size. Cool! I love them!

What about all of those varieties?? I must admit that some hosta varieties look very close if not discernable from other varieties. That is why I try to offer hostas that are distinct in form, color, habit, and variegation. Paul Aden in his book " " offers these points to ponder when choosing hostas. One cannot begin to fit all 3500+ registered hosta cultivars in one's yard!

Paul Aden offers these very wise words to us hosta nuts who would collect everything under the sun, "The criteria involved in the recommendations contained in this chapter are: 1) Performance under a wide range of home garden conditions, 2) Identifiable without looking at a label at normal viewing distance, and 3) Class or something you can enjoy and feed proud to live with."

Grasses

The grouping of grasses and grass-like plants also include a family of plants called Rushes. The Rush family, or formally Juncaceae consists of only 10 different genus, and less then 400 species. Most can be found in wet or damp habitats in cool regions. Unlike the grasses which are used extensively commercially, there are only a hand full of rushes that are used as building materials like baskets, seats, and mats.

Rushes are easily identified because their stems are erect, cylindrical, and solid.

Only two genera are important to ornamental grasses: Juncus (rushes), and Luzula (wood rushes). Rushes prefer wet sunny locations. Wood rushes are native to moist or dry shaded habitats, generally evergreen, leaves being flat usually with conspicuously hairy margins.

I sell Luzula nivea. Very attractive plant with 'hair' or 'fuzz' completely covering the leaves, hence, 'snow' in the common name. Spectacular early morning dew photography.

I also sell Luzula sylvatica. Light green foliage sets off spring life. Forms lush mounds, spreading with rhizomes, will eventually make a weed free mat. Perhaps one of the best ornamental grasses for shady woodland sites. Likes acid.

Hosta Pick of the Month

Cultivar: Hosta 'Blue Cadet'

Description: The durable blue round leaves form a tight mound. Brings that great blue color to small garden spaces or containers. Very dependable.

Web-Page: http://www.hostas.com/hostas/gallery/hosta-7.html

Color Group: BLUE

Leaf Color: Blue Green

Sun: 1/2 sun, can take more sun than the average hosta variety.

Plant Size: 28x16 (Medium < 22)

Leaf Size: 5x4 (Small (6-25 square in.))

Flower: Medium, Bell-shaped, Lavender,

Flowering: June 1 to July 15

Fragrant?: No

Ornamental Grass Pick of the Month

Latin Name: Miscanthus floridulus

Common Name: Giant Chinese Silver Grass, Giant Miscanthus

Latin Meaning:

Description: Grows in erect clumps and has huge, pale, blue-green foliage. The leaf blades an be 1.25" wide. The white panicles are pyramidal shaped and up to 20" long. Makes a great background, specimen, screen, or conversation plant! Grass is often incorrectly called Miscanthus 'Giganteus'. Both plants are noticeably different from each other, with floridulus being truly the Giant Miscanthus!

Zone: 4a

Origin: Japan, Taiwan, Pacific Island lowlands

Leaf Blade (WxL): 1 1/4 x 38

Foliage (WxH): 72 x 96

Plume (HxLxW): 120 x 20.00 x 10.00

Sun: Full to 1/2 sun

Moisture: Moist, well drained

Foliage Color - Summer: 8 Fall: 2 Winter: 12

Wisdom from the Garden

Mulch = your garden's jacket.