Yin and Yang

10 years ago

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but a hosta friend just asked me to share H. 'Yang' with her. I told her friends don't give friends Yang. It is a sad hosta story.

We are kind of zen people... at least we seek the balance that is at the heart of zen. That balance is often expressed in the Yin Yang symbol... the balance of opposites that describes the universe.

Back in 2002 the Wilkins registered two sports from H. 'Maize and Blue' They were reversed sports... Yin with dark center and light margin, Yang with light center and dark margin. I loved the names and loved the concept. Got both of them as soon as they were available... probably going on 10 years now.

Some "reverse" pairs work out very well. Golden Tiara and Emerald Tiara are both good hostas and can be grown together to good effect. GT is stronger than ET, but they are both fine. Typically the dark centered one, with more active chlorophyll to boost growth, is the stronger of the two. Lots of other similar examples.

But there are a couple of truly "loser" pairs. Twilight and Morning Light, for example. Twilight is pretty good... a sport from Fortunei Aureomarginata, one of the true workhorses in the hosta garden. Morning Light, on the other hand... light centered... finicky, poor grower...

But for me - Yin and Yang take the cake. Yin is a very nice small-medium plant. Not terribly distinguished in a tough field... lots of similar hostas... but nice. Yang, on the other hand...

Well - a picture is supposed to replace 1000 words, so here are 3000

Yin and Yang... same age... about 10 years old.

closeup Yin

closeup Yang

Comments (15)

thisismelissa
10 years ago
This time, I was NOT the hosta friend. I know better than to ask for that plant!
Babka NorCal 9b
10 years ago
Gee, Jim, you sure do have a small Yang. ;-D

-Babka (An old lady of few words...)
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idiothe
Original Author
10 years ago
Wow... I feel like slinking off into the shadows after that shot... but I'll try to keep my Yin up...
hostafreak
10 years ago
Excuse me,did you say the same age? Regardless of Babkas joke,I guessI don't want Yang! Phil
Jon 6a SE MA
10 years ago
The Yin Yang symbol is Chinese / Korean in origin. Yin is the dark, passive, female and Yang is the light, active, male. Don't shoot the messenger.

That sure is a small Yang.

Jon
hostanista
10 years ago
I seriously didn't even see Yang in your comparison photo and had to go back for a closer look. All I can say is ...wait for it... that's not a whole lot of Yang for your buck.
idiothe
Original Author
10 years ago
you went to a whole lot of yang for a yuck...
User
10 years ago
OMG, what a shocker!
That Yang takes the cake...and so do all the puns. What a sad story for such a symbolic combination.

See, I love it when the history of these legends comes to light.
Thanks for the story, Jim.
Jon 6a SE MA
10 years ago
The Land of the Morning Calm has a red and blue Taegeuk (also known as Taiji and Yinyang) in the center. Sometimes this is described as negative and positive. The people in Korea that have discussed this with tell me it is man and woman...so who am I to believe.

I always liked Korea, very stoic people, but extremely friendly. It IS calm and beautiful in the morning. Good memories.

Jon
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
10 years ago
I was sure I was blind looking at the first picture...no, he couldn't mean that itty bitty one, could he? Good thing you posted the next two. Made me laugh out loud-as did the replies.
Gesila
10 years ago
Thanks for sharing Jim. I've heard that one of these was a dud!

I never knew the same about Morning Light and Twilight.
User
10 years ago
Oops, don't tell me that about Morning Light.....ignorance is bliss....things don't go wrong until you know it can....stuff like that.

I have a Morning Light which is rather small. Will research it a bit better. Meanwhile I'll put your info into my file for that hosta. Hmmm, don't have Twilight, unless it slipped in under the radar.
Here is a picture (almost) of Morning Light....see that little thing behind On Stage? That's it.

and then another all by itself. I'll post my picture of Yin separately later on.
User
10 years ago
Now. Here is the Yin.
It bloomed in July and August last year:

Here it is this year.
Gesila
10 years ago
I need hostas that grow slow as I am way over crowded. Morning Light looks nice in my garden. However, Yang is a little bit toooooo slow for me!

Gesila
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
10 years ago
Well, idiothe, it looks like you're quite out of balance.

tj