H. 'Rosedale Spoons'

Friday September 12th 2008 some more Hostas were added to the collection, courtesy of a benevolent secret trader from Ontario, this is one of them. Thanks again Kim! A couple of the ones I received are now no longer on my most-wanted list and while this one wasn't, it is yet another example of a cultivar I must have missed for the list somewhere along the line. While not terribly evident right now, this is an upright, fast growing mound of intense blue-green foliage. The shiny leaves are nicely cupped apparently.

One of the leaves does show some cupping, but there's none of that shine, undoubtly because of the mud splashing evident in the veins.

It's now April 29th, 2009 and the first couple of leaves are beginning to unfurl. Hopefully the cupping I'm seeing on the first leaf won't disappear too much. It's still rather green and I suspect that placement will influence how blueish it will get. It will stay right where it is, and that will be in plenty of direct sun.

Well, the plant may not have been much to look at last year when I first received it, but I'm really starting to take a liking to this variety. What's not to like, it's cupped, has GREAT substance, has puckered leaves and a wonderful sheen. Based on initial statements about its's vigour last year, I had expected more growth out of it this year than it has shown. I recognize that it's been here only since last September, but only 4 leaves by the middle of June does not qualify it for the 'vigourous' label in my books.

It may have been somewhat slow to go beyond just four leaves, but eventually it did and as you can see, it flowered. Nice, white flowers. It didn't set any seed, but that doesn't mean it is not pollen fertile, time will tell, perhaps. I do like the overall shape and substance of the leaves and can see myself using its pollen on something else next year, I'll have to see what else is in bloom round about the same time then.

As said above, no-one will ever accuse this cultivar of being a vigorous grower. Here it is almost mid-October 2010 and as you can see, there are now 2 shoots on the crown. The scapes show us they both flowered, and if you look closely you'll see seedpods on both. The leaves this year weren't as cupped nor as corrugated as they were last year. Let's hope 2011 is better in that regard, and how's about double the number of shoots....