Oldest So Sweet doing strange things

bkay2000

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I've had this So Sweet for years. It's the one in the hostalibrary. I repotted it two years ago. I did not divide it. It was one of the survivors of the great root rot, but was diminished either from the fungus or the neglect they suffered when I mostly gave up on saving anything.

This photo was taken yesterday:

The plant bloomed in August and the stalks remain.

This plant (and the other So Sweet as well) always puts out about three, sometimes four flushes. Each succeeding flush (although not huge) is prettier than the last. Each new one has more colors and more interesting details in the leaves. This plant has continued to put out flushes all year, although the other one stopped at two or three. Each flush comes up with green margins, which fade to yellow and then to an off white, just like the first one. So, you can see that the flushes are continuing.

This leaf is particularly interesting. You can tell that it's fairly new because it's still yellowish.

Any ideas of what is going on?

bkay

Featured Answer

bkay2000
Original Author

5 years ago

ken, you are old enough but, you didn't exactly elucidate me with your vast knowledge regarding my errant hosta.

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Comments (9)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
hmmm... cool ...

all i can think of.. is that light intensity is way down this time of year ... so it wouldnt surprise me if new leaf color intensity is .... and appears ... much deeper ...

ken
peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
5 years ago
I am just happy that your beautiful albeit diminished specimen is doing so well.
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djacob Z6a SE WI
5 years ago
In my posts on late blooms ,lindalana mentions it seems some plants with active seed pods tend to do this. She wonders why too.

debra
bkay2000
Original Author
5 years ago
That plant is at least 10 years old. It's never done this before. So Sweet is not considered fertile, so it has nothing to do with seeds.

What I think is interesting about this plant is that the later flushes are so attractive. The first one is pretty plain, just green with an off white border. The successive ones have so many more colors and a wider border.

I just hope this is not the gasps of a dying plant.

Thanks for your thoughts.

bkay
djacob Z6a SE WI
5 years ago
Bkay, I misunderstood your post. I thought it was related to late flower bloom. The different colors on the leaves is really interesting. I have two of them and must take notice of this next year.

debra
bkay2000
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks, debra. It was really a question about strange happenings, in that it is putting out blooms and new flushes in October.

Yes, the successive flushes are always prettier than the initial ones. Given this is many flushes past the first, and the leaves on this flush are really nice, I find it strange that it is doing this so late. The other So Sweet is behaving normally as are all the other hosta.

I miss the old "guys" who had so much knowledge and shared it generously.

bk
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
what???? ... im not old enough for you.. pshaw ... lol ...
frankielynnsie
5 years ago
I meet the 1st part--old, but not as knowledgeable as some who have passed on. I have had hosta for 40 some years but never studied them like some. I thoroughly enjoy my hosta and am lamenting as they decline and get covered with leaves as winter is approaching. Keeping up with mulching the oak leaves is my ongoing project right now.