How many HW x B seeds did you plant? If none of the seeds germinated, then perhaps they weren't viable. Do you know how old the seeds are and if they've been kept in the freezer since harvest?

I recommend soaking the seeds for a day and then replanting them. Elslager did this with seeds that had not germinated and had some success. Good luck...

(By the way, the correct name is Humpbacked Whale.)

Don,
It's in the Library as Humpback Whale, and I don't think it's registered.

Steve

There is a write up about the name in the Hostapedia. It is a Mildred Seaver introduction and not registered. It was confirmed by Mildred Seaver's son that it is Humpbacked Whale even though some websites and databases list it incorrectly. A division of it sold for $3,700.00 at the 2006 AHS auction.

Seeds were donated by Balitewicz to The Winter Scientific Meeting, so I do not know how they were harvested or stored. There were 20 seeds total, I planted 10 inside and I wintersowed 10... (I can explain wintersowing another time, but it is a great way to start perennials.)

I will try soaking the seeds if I can find them in the medium. smile...
Thanks for your help.

Post your question on the seed growers forum. I know Bob Balitewicz occasionally posts there, and a number of folks on that forum attended the WSM. I'm curious as to how viable seed from Humpback(ed) Whale is.

Steve

Here is a link that might be useful: Hosta Seed Growers Forum

If it's named Humpbacked Whale, it's because whoever named it didn't know the whale is named Humpback Whale. Just got back from Kauai and enjoyed watching the Humpback Whales. When a 40-ton whales leaps out of the water, it makes quite a splash.

It is one of the many hostas introduced by Mildred Seaver. She was known as the Queen of Hostas. Her introductions:

Allan P. McConnell
Allen C. Haskell
Aventurine
Blue Plate Special
Bold and Brassy
Christmas Gold
Christmas Tree
Crayons
Daughter of Ledi Lantis
Diane Gray Dalton
Diane's Fancy
Doctor Bill-Bob
Don Juan
Don Quixote
Don Stevens
Dragon Lady
El Dorado
Golden Rule
Green Whiskers
High Noon
Hold the Phone
Hugs and Kisses
Humpbacked Whale
Imperial Moth
Ivory Pixie
Kamona
Komodo Dragon
Lucy Vitols
Mabel-Maria Herweg
Marvelous Millie
Muriel Seaver Brown
Pike's Peak
Queen of the Seas
Red Salamander
Reflected Glory
Richard Taylor
Richmond
Richmond streaked
Sea Angel
Sea Angel Wings
Sea Aquarius
Sea Beacon
Sea Biscuit
Sea Blue
Sea Blue Leather
Sea Blue Monster
Sea Bubbles
Sea Bunny
Sea Current
Sea Dragon
Sea Dream
Sea Drift
Sea Ebony
Sea Fire
Sea Foam
Sea Frolic
Sea Gentian
Sea Gold
Sea Gold Dust
Sea Gold Star
Sea Grotto
Sea Gulf Stream1999
Sea Gull
Sea Hero
Sea High Noon
Sea Lightning
Sea Lotus Leaf
Sea Mermaid
Sea Mist
Sea Monster
Sea Nautilus
Sea Nymph
Sea Octopus
Sea Peridot
Sea Prize
Sea Sapphire
Sea Slate II
Sea Sprite
Sea Sunrise
Sea Thunder
Sea Tornado
Sea Waves
Sea White Gold
Sea Wiggles
Sea Yellow Sunrise
Spilt Milk
Spinning Wheel
Split Personality
Streaked Regal
Sun Disk

With all due respect to Mildred Seaver, it appears she knew more about hostas than whales.

With all due respect to Mildred Seaver, it appears she knew more about hostas than whales.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with some poetic licence when naming a Hosta....

Pieter

indiana bob.. is what he is called ... because no one can spell his last name .. lol

track down his email address ... thru one of the clubs in IN ...

and i will bet a buck he will send you more seed ... or my name isnt ken ...

he is the most generous man i know in the hosta world ...

ken

'indianabob' is his user's name at the Hosta Seed Growers forum. You already posted a message there, and you can Email him. Go under 'Members', all users starting with 'i', then click on indianabob.

Thanks again for all the advice and help. Hosta addicts are the best!

nope.. not in my book ...

the best peeps are the ones who support the local clubs ... like you did with your donation to buy seed ...

and like bob did with his donation of the seed ...

ken

Since this particular hosta was never registered the name is not written in stone, and as has happened with other plants, the name can be corrected before it is registered. I'm fairly certain that will be the case with this plant, that it will be corrected to Hosta 'Humpback Whale' for the future.