Mutating and Sporting in the Shade Garden

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Posted by @profesora on
Most variegated hostas are mutations or sports. Many beautiful ones never reach the open market.

Mutation and sport are not synonyms, but the end result in both cases is a change producing a new plant that looks different from the parent. This is not a result of sexual reproduction: No pollen is involved.

Hostas are especially prone to mutate or sport. This is the process that gives us variegation, a trait that most people find appealing. When I ask a novice about his choice in hostas, the answer is almost always the same: I want something variegated.

Both mutation and sports happen naturally every day, and the gardener just needs to know the plant very well to notice a new crown that looks a little different. The difference develops with time, and the gardener needs to separate the sport or mutation by the second or third year to test whether the plant is viable.

There are many other conditions that cause mutation and sporting. For example, the use of alfalfa in the ground stimulates the fast plant growth that is related to mutation. Accidental light sprays of herbicides can also cause mutations.

There are stories of exposing plants to light doses of radiation to cause mutations. The hosta Embroidery is one of these. Some find this very unethical.

I use alfalfa and I often have mutations and sports. Van Wade of Ohio taught me about this when I told him that I fed alfalfa to my hostas.

My current avatar is a mutation that I developed over a course of seven years. I found it growing off a mature Sum and Substance. It grows shorter than its parent and it has a most beautiful variegation and texture. Like its parent, it loves the sun.


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I call it Caipirinha, a very popular Brazilian mixed drink.

Almost every hosta grower is familiar with the classic hosta Sum and Substance, but not many know that it is the parent of many sports and mutations.

There are many variegated sports from Sum and Substance. Most are just as large as their parent, and they have the same tolerance to sunlight.

The list of significant Sum and Substance sports is very long and it includes cultivars that are difficult to find. My favorite is Lady Isobel Barnett, which my visitors always request. She does not like to be divided, so I usually have only two or three to sell every summer.

Eagle's Nest is another that every gardener should have because it is unique and it does not grow very big.

Titanic also should be in your garden, as a focal point because it grows very large. All three mentioned are available and they are very reasonably priced.

Adopt a mutant this summer or start the process to create one.

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Comments and Discussion
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Alfalfa by chickhill May 8, 2014 12:59 PM 0
Thanks for the info on sports by SongofJoy May 6, 2014 1:00 PM 3
sports by chickhill May 6, 2014 12:58 PM 1

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