Re: Size of Hostas

In a message dated 1/17/99 1:39:07 PM Central Standard Time, ranbl@netsync.net
writes:

<< Most
 nurserymen and designers would argue, that as a primary measurement, the
 way to categorize any plant is by the greatest dimension first.  In
 almost all Hostas , that would be spread.  This also is in accordance
 with the US standards for measuring plants. >>

So all plants that have indeterminate spread are large plants. I should
remember that the next time I describe ground covers. 
But on a more practical aspect. The major whole sellers to the retail trade
sell Hosta by foliage height. 
below is a list from one of them.

3-6" small
6-10" medium-small
10-25" medium
15-22" medium-large
22-30" large
30+very large

Width is very important, but when working with herbaceous perennial plants, it
is not 
representative.  Some plants just do not know when they have grown to big.
Trees and shrubs-tend to fall in to more uniform growth patterns and sizes.
The nice thing about Hosta or most any other herbaceous perennial -- you can
divide the plant up to keep it a manageable size if need be. So that when my
"very large" Antennaria gets out of hand I can again make it a "small" plant.

These categories are of course very simple and generalized when planting in
the landscape, making for only general guidelines when I sold trees and
shrubs-and people wanted to know how big a plant got, a simple answer like
it's small or large is really to hazy.
It pays to know your plant material and how it grows in your part of the world
and under different conditions. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE HOSTA-OPEN
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index