A better question might be: have you ever wondered about how they name varieties of flowers?
I toured the flower gardening of guest photographer today. She loves hostas, and some of hers are still in bloom. According to Wikipedia, there are over 3,000. registered and named varieties of hostas.
So how do they go about naming new varieties, when over 3,000. names are already taken?
Like, for example...
I guess you could say the leaves of this hosta are about the color of freshly made guacamole.
What really impressed me was the lily like, fragrant flower. Didn't smell anything like guacamole. The flower is distinctive for a hosta, which are grown mainly for their beautiful foliage.
The sum and substance of what?
It is called "Rememberance". (Incidentally, the slugs have been munching away on hostas locally, so please excuse the holes in the leaves.)
Finally, does viewing this hosta make want you to tour the galaxy and explore strange new worlds?
If it does, it is because this variety is called Captain Kirk.
Hostas make me glad I have shade in my back yard. They are very easy to grow, come in all sizes from miniature to gigantic, various leaf colors from blue-green to variegated green, and are bothered by few pests other than slugs. (A plus for my friend is that deer don't like them.)
I still don't have any insights into how these plants got those names. But I'll remember them the next time I wonder if Captain Kirk really liked guacamole.
Do you like hostas? Do you have a favorite type or color?
I'm not much of a plant person (I kill everything I try to grow), but I am a Trek person, so I might need to find out if Captain Kirk can be grown around these parts. And then put my husband to work. ;-)
ReplyDeleteNever heard of hostas. They must not grow in 105 + degrees, with nights only 90.
ReplyDeleteBeth Kozan