Asked on May 20, 2012
My strange hosta.
by Beth S
+30
I posted this a couple of weeks ago. It now has flowers. Still not sure what this is called.
When it first appeared.
With flowers. Has anyone ever seen a hosta do this?
33 answers
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Wow, I would like to know also. This is a beauty! I have never seen one like this , even on a hosta website. Please let me know.
![Bernice H]()
Bernice H
on May 20, 2012
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It is the typical bloom of the hosta. They do this every year.
![Patty S]()
Patty S
on May 20, 2012
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Yep Hosta
![Linda R]()
Linda R
on May 20, 2012
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That is unique and just lovely. I hope my hostas do the same.
![Pam]()
Pam
on May 20, 2012
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what kinda hosta? Most hostas I've seen have unimpressive flowers.
![Teresa D]()
Teresa D
on May 20, 2012
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Many hostas do have impressive flowers, some of which are even fragrant. Those are generally derived from Hosta plantaginea, which has 6-inch long, beautiful, white fragrant flowers.
![Douglas Hunt]()
Douglas Hunt
on May 21, 2012
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I'm having friend send your query to George Schmid, who literally wrote the book on hosta ("The Genus Hosta", for those who are curious. He taught himself Japanese to learn more about the plants.)
![Walter Reeves]()
Walter Reeves
on May 21, 2012
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looks like you have a lily within a lily
![Leanne L]()
Leanne L
on May 21, 2012
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I still am interested in knowing what kind of hosta, because I have never seen one looking like this, starting with the base hosta then with flowers then more hosta...so I will keep tuned in! It is lovely and I would like one like it. And my hosta flowers are impressive,,,because I am a hosta nut and "my children.".blah blah blah...haha!
![Bernice H]()
Bernice H
on May 21, 2012
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Let's call it a double-decker hosta! Or a sandwich hosta. Hosta - flower - hosta.
![Teresa D]()
Teresa D
on May 21, 2012
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Bernice H . . .no idea what kind of hosta. I bought it at my local Wal-Mart garden center. This is the 3rd year I have had it, but this is the 1st time it has done this.
![Beth S]()
Beth S
on May 21, 2012
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I believe that sprout above the flowers would be called a pup. You should be able to remove it and root is to make a whole new plant.
![Paul M]()
Paul M
on May 21, 2012
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I've had hosta's for years an never had one produce anything like this.
![Leanne L]()
Leanne L
on May 22, 2012
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this could be a place that could tll you http://www.nhhostas.com/giant-hosta.htm?pi=2
![Leanne L]()
Leanne L
on May 22, 2012
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The definitive answer comes from hosta expert Bob Solberg, who says "The plant appears to be 'Francee' or possibly 'Patriot'. Hostas will often produce a flower scape with leafy bracts, instead of the usual small ones, if their biological clock has been disrupted. Since this plant is blooming early it "thinks" it needs more leaves to produce enough food to support its flowers and hopefully seeds. The effect is environmental and will probably not appear next year once the plant has been acclimated to its new home. "Many of these plants were harvested in the fields of Holland in the fall and this early spring has forced them up earlier than normal. In fact sometimes, a hosta will go dormant just as it is preparing to bloom and next spring only a scape, no leaves at all, will come up in the spring. It will produce a huge amount of crazy leaves to try to feed itself. The next year it will again be normal." "Enjoy the beautiful scape this year while you have it. Hostas are amazing plants and continually surprise us. "
![Walter Reeves]()
Walter Reeves
on May 22, 2012
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OOhhhh thanks Walter. So Beth has an unusual occurrance....and an unusual outcome. Very Interesting.. Thanks Beth. I love it.
![Bernice H]()
Bernice H
on May 22, 2012
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Thank you so much Walter. Some have suggested that if I remove this , I can root it and get a new plant. What say you? I have two other hostas that came up very early that seem to have some kind of offshoots on them. This is the fun part of gardening. What will Mother Nature do next??
![Beth S]()
Beth S
on May 22, 2012
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Well how interesting this turned out to be!! This years bloom doesn't look anything like what my hosta's do - their flowers are a medium blue and doesn't happen til mid summer. I was thinking maybe this one mutated or something. Mother Nature has a way of helping plants & animals survive during unusual climate conditions. EVERYTHING is all confused this year!!
![Susan S]()
Susan S
on May 22, 2012
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It looks like it cross pollinated with a lily. It is unique! Beautiful!
![Georgia R]()
Georgia R
on May 22, 2012
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@Georgia -Yes it does look like a cross polination of some sort. Pretty Neat!!!
![Susan S]()
Susan S
on May 22, 2012
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my Hostas do that every year!! got them from my Dad, and just keep seperating them when i need more for somewhere else in the yard!!
![DONNA M]()
DONNA M
on May 22, 2012
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@Donna M. - your Hosta's have the same type of bloom as Beth's?? If so it must be a different type than the rest of us have. Mine are just kind of the "garden variety". They send up a tall stem later in the season and have blue flowers. Hummmm . . . .apparently there are hostas aned then there are HOSTAS!!!!
![Susan S]()
Susan S
on May 22, 2012
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@Donna . . all hostas bloom every year, but this is quite unique that it sent up a mini hosta and then flowers bloomed underneath it. @ Susan . . read what Walter Reeves had to say about this. Seems to be the crazy spring we have had. I have 2 other hostas doing weird things. They came up extremely early . . almost a month before the rest of my hostas. Will post pics of these as well.
![Beth S]()
Beth S
on May 23, 2012
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@Beth S. - well, I kinda feel cheated!! So far my hostas are behaving quite normally - darn!!! I did read Walter's post actually. He always has such a wealth of information to share. I was just wondering if the flowers themselves change from the norm or do different varieties of hostas have different flowers??
![Susan S]()
Susan S
on May 23, 2012
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@Susan, I am not a hosta expert, so can't really answer that question, however, I am becoming more and more interested in them. Just found out we have a Hosta Society here in Indy.
![Beth S]()
Beth S
on May 23, 2012
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@Beth - isn't it amazing how a simple post, a few questions, alot of comments and suddenly you've gained a wealth of information!!! So, who knows, you may become an expert after all - or at least quite knowledgeable ;~)
![Susan S]()
Susan S
on May 23, 2012
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Sure looks like a Lilly. Maybe check with your local extension service. Is there a horticulture or garden club in your area?
![Sheila D]()
Sheila D
on Apr 20, 2015
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How interesting! This is one of the reasons I love Hometalk- the sharing of info! I thought it was a 'Patriot', also. Another good info source is HostasDirect-they sell hostas & heucherra, but also have a huge database of hostas.
![Dee]()
Dee
on Apr 26, 2015
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I was just at Lowe's, and of course, I have to look for new hostas. All of the blooming Patriot hostas have this type of flower, but none of the other varieties do. Only the Patriot's have the little leafy topper. I'm guessing this must be a trait of this particular variety.
![Dee]()
Dee
on Apr 30, 2015
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I love hostas, but can't grow them now where I live in Florida. I've never seen such lily-like flowers on any that I've had, but Dee sounds like she knows what type it is!
![Karen]()
Karen
on Jul 19, 2015
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A description of this type of Hosta is on this link: http://www.americanhostasociety.org/Education/AHS_Website_Hosta_Species_Part2_20080225.pdf
![Lyn Therese]()
Lyn Therese
on Aug 12, 2015
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I had exactly the same plant as this in Scotland and I always thought that it was a lily? Although I never checked it out, so I also would be interested to find out exactly what this plant is as it is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.
![Annie Doherty]()
Annie Doherty
on Sep 11, 2016
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THIS HOSTA IS DIFFERENT FROM THE TYPE YOU SEE EVERYWHERE..NAME ?? I HAVE TWO IN MY YARD.. THE FLOWERING STEM, IS SHORTER, NOT LEANING OUT AND LEGGY LIKE OTHER TYPE, AND LEAF IS DIFFERENT.. PERHAPS A READER WILL GIVE IT'S NAME...
![Pmp12584640]()
Pmp12584640
on Oct 12, 2016
Bernice H
on May 20, 2012
Patty S
on May 20, 2012
Linda R
on May 20, 2012
Pam
on May 20, 2012
Teresa D
on May 20, 2012
Douglas Hunt
on May 21, 2012
Walter Reeves
on May 21, 2012
Leanne L
on May 21, 2012
Beth S
on May 21, 2012
Paul M
on May 21, 2012
Susan S
on May 22, 2012
Georgia R
on May 22, 2012
DONNA M
on May 22, 2012
Lyn Therese
on Aug 12, 2015
Annie Doherty
on Sep 11, 2016
Pmp12584640
on Oct 12, 2016
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