Vol. 27

Title:
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE PLANT HOSTA FORTUNEI ‘AUREO MACULATA’ (‘ALBOPICTA’) TO FIND RAPID METHODS OF PROPAGATION

Author:
Lila W. Dick

pp: 43

Abstract:
As hostas are valuable ground cover plants and also in demand for flower arrangers, it was decided to look at this plant from a propagation viewpoint. The work was a practical project carried out with 5 BSc III degree students at the West of Scotland College over 10 hours of the October-December Term (the rest of the practical work being carried out by nursery staff). We found very few references to the propagation of hostas and relied on the R.H.S. Dictionary for basic information (1). Hostas are named after the Austrian Botanist Nicolaus Thomas Host (1761–1834) and the plant belongs to the family Liliaceae.

Methods of Propagation

1. Seed. As H. fortunei does not set seed regularly and progeny would not be true-to-type, we discounted this method.
2. Division, the usual method of increasing hostas. Five plants were lifted on 13th October, soil washed from them, placed in peat and put in the cold store (4–6°C; 90–100° R.H.) for 50 days (to simulate the winter dormant period). On December 2nd the

Full text: IPPS members     ISHS members & pay-per-view
(PDF 84815 bytes)

Translate:

           

IPPS membership administration       ISHS membership administration