H. 'Stiletto'

The container on the right has both Grand Tiara and Stiletto (in front) soaking up some rainwater prior to being potted up.

These 5 new varieties were added to the collectiom through a 2007 trade to the satisfaction of both parties with a fellow Hostaphiliac in Ottawa.

This is what they divided into, three pots! And they're coming along just fine thanks. The other 3 pots are 'Blond Elf' divisions.

While none of the three divisions are showing any additional offset growth, this one is growing a scape and I cannot wait to see the colour of the flowers. It sets seed and is fertile apparently, so, next year it'll end up being used as a pollen and pod parent.

The flowers open on August 26, about 2 weeks after the last picture was taken. We didn't get any pods on them this year, but that don't really matter.

It may not even be winter as yet, but I'm already planning pod and pollen use for next year. I have a 'Ginko Craig' seedling that flowered for the first time this year. It has lanceolate leaves with a nice wave to the edge of the leaves with very broad petioles and I'd like to use that both ways. And if 'Ray of Hope' pulls through the bleaching ordeal I subjected it to than it will get used as well, although early indications are it may not be terribly fertile.

March 22nd, 2008 and look at how one of them is coming along already. Obviously I do not know a great deal about its growth habits as yet but I'll make the observation that it looks to possibly be somewhat stoloniferous. This single division has gone to a total of 5 shoots now and is spreading itself almost all the way out to the edges of the pot it's in on 3 of the 4 sides.

About 10 days ago you could see 5 shoots poking up, now there are in fact 6 of them! And this was just a single division last fall!

While this division does not have as many shoots as the one above, it sure is farther along than that one. It is actually already showing the variegation.

April 16th now and look at how last year's 3 divisions have grown!

Early May 2009, and this division is starting to fill it's #1 pot quite nicely, don't you think?