The Hosta Lady

10 years ago

The Master with some spectacular examples typical of her work. Olga Petryzyn, the best hosta hybridizer alive? She just might be.

Always Amazed,
Don B.

Featured Answer

Steve Massachusetts

10 years ago

I suppose it's all subjective, but certainly she's among the top 3 or 4. Firstly Mary Chastain is still living in Ooltewah, TN. Although she's not working with Hosta, at least that we know of. I think you could make a case for Don Dean and Rick Goodenough. And the hybridizer you don't know about, Jeff Moore, is doing more with red in Hostas than anyone else right now. I think his work is perhaps the best out there right now. The problem is that his plants aren't available to the public, except for in auctions. He's just not interested in the commercial side of things. Let me see if I can find a pic Here's Painted Desert, a soft pastel shaded streaker with red up into the base of the leaf.

Steve

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Comments (15)

bkay2000
10 years ago
What's the striped one?

bk
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don_in_colorado
Original Author
10 years ago
Gorgeous, Steve. That is a fantastic hosta... Yes it's all subjective, I agree, and debatable. I'm not saying Olga IS the best, only that she COULD be, possibly.

BKay, the striped one is 'Viva Las Vegas'.

Don B.
User
10 years ago
Well, there is one of Olga's creations up and raring to grow, needing a pot of it's own too. Old Faithful, the fragrant early riser, is by far the most advanced plant in my garden. Not the first...just most advanced.

Don't worry, I will hold my other pretty pictures until others can show and tell too!
bkay2000
10 years ago
Does it look like those Olga hosta are in pots?

bk
don_in_colorado
Original Author
10 years ago
Yeah Bkay, maybe so.

Don B.
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
Hey, Don! Guess what!? I just bought some bagged hosta today from one of our nurseries. Yup, you guessed it....'Blue Hawaii' ! One of Olga's! Actually I picked up two bags of this one, resulting in three plants. Bonus! Here's a pic. This will be referred to in my garden as "Don's Blue". Kinda to keep "Guacamole Don" company...lol
don_in_colorado
Original Author
10 years ago
Cool, Jo. I hope those grow great for you, and that they're 'cooties' free, if you know what I mean. : )

Can't wait to see mine, shouldn't be too long. Seems to be warming up here pretty fast. Hope you all warm up soon, too!!

Don B.

P.S. I love what they printed on the bag "Great for Mixed Borders" LOL don't they know how big 'Blue Hawaii' gets?? If only I had the room to make a border of really large hostas...sigh...
bragu_DSM 5
10 years ago
no don, you make a border around the hosta ...

btw, does your DW know about your infatuation w/ olga?

dave
don_in_colorado
Original Author
10 years ago
Yes, Dave, but she's much more concerned about my infatuation w/ Bob Solberg : P
funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
10 years ago
LOL, Don, that last comment made my morning. Hilarious! :)
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
I'm sitting, sipping my coffee...it almost spewed out of my mouth when I read the banter between Dave n Don!!! Lol
bkay2000
10 years ago
The hosta in the center is called H. Viva Las Vegas. It is not yet registered. Olga will soon see if anyone is interested in TC'ing it. It might take up to three years.

bk
don_in_colorado
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the bit of info, BKay. I'd certainly be interested in growing it if it eventually gets TC'd. Still a bit bummed that 'Tobacco Road' didn't take to being tissue cultured. : (

Don B.
User
10 years ago
So am I, Don, I had my heart set on Tobacco Road....sort of a southern thing, if you get my drift. My grandpa grew his own tobakky and I remember it hanging whole plant upside down from the rafters in his big barn, personal consumption only, of. course, I never knew what KIND of bakky it was, but he taught me to roll his cigarettes and even let me use his automatic cigarette rolling machine, which I recall as something wooden like a toothpick dispenser. I was really small then.