Wow, what a great looking seedling!! Lovely color and texture with purple flowers!!

debra

Thanks Debra. I found a picture of what it looked like in May of 2021.

Question - how are you getting seedlings? I’m guessing I’ll have to stop cutting the spent flower stalks off?

KW, I used to cut off the flower stalks. Then I had to rethink it and now I allow the pollinators the experience of using the hosta flowers. I also leave most of the seed heads on now too (except the ugly ones or the very tall ones or the stalks with barely any seed). The seed is for the birds. Then forum hosta members were saying they had little seedlings everywhere and I didn't! So I had a look in spring and there they were! So if you have hosta; don't turn over your soil in the spring; or put piles of compost or mulch on the garden very early---you may have seedlings too!

Elegans seedling, maybe?

@newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada I have been cutting flower stalks off after the flowers are dead & seeds or pods forming. I am a too tidy gardener & like the tidy look after the flowers are done. I thought doing this would put more of the plant energy into growing fresh new leaves. Is that not right? Also, do birds eat hosta seed? I do feed the birds & have a lot of activity but I’ve seen only hummingbirds at the hosta flowers in bloom nothing else later after blooms gone

KW, I understand what you mean about being too tidy a gardener and liking the look of the flowers gone. I think it is a myth that cutting the flower stalk will put more plant energy into growing fresh leaves. Yes birds eat hosta seed. The pods often dry and burst open to allow seeds to fall to the ground. If you decide to leave the seed pods, you may also notice that the seed pods can vary in color. Some can be quite interesting looking.

UTOG, it's not an Elegans seedling. I do have an Elegans, but it is located in my backyard. This one is in the front yard. I kind of thought the shape of the leaf reminded me of Liberty. Liberty is planted nearby.

@newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada Thanks for that info! Too late this year as I’ve done my tidying all along as my hostas bloomed & faded. I do have one bigger one - June - that’s just now blooming with a lot of stalks of pale blue flowers. I might try leaving it & keep an eye out for birds. I don’t have room for any more hostas - especially that one - but I do work at supporting the birds!

Does not have to be but if you have blue or green centered hostas nearby, it more likely to be seedling from it. Growth seems very fast! I like that edge getting to be wavy and it seems to have substance to the leaf.

I remove many flower stalks as I want energy go into plant growth with exception of those I like to have pollen from or streakers.

But just today someone posted on FB seedlings from Revolution and they were stunners!

KW, June has nice flowers and seed pods. The flower stalks are not too tall. That would be a good hosta to leave the flower stalks on for the winter.

I don't cut my flower stalks off that quickly because I disinfect my pruning shears between plants and I don't have the disinfectant outside. So slowly---one at a time---I remove seedless flower stalks and those extra tall ones.

Lindalana, I went out to look and see what blue or green centered hostas are nearby. There is Mini Skirt, Grand Prize, Emerald Necklace and Liberty. There is Restless Sea which has wavy edges.

I notice too that the mature leaves have a two tone effect. Do you see it?

I also leave the flower stalks. I have 8 hummers so far this year and one of them grabs the hosta bloom petal edges with his feet and pulls his beak deep into the blossom. He did this last year too. I have tried to get a picture but he is too fast. The others just hover and sip. Now that it is a little cooler I sit in the garden am and pm with the dog and we watch all the critters and bugs visit.

NHL, I do see that two tone coloring…….it will be interesting to see it next year!

debra