Holly's Dazzler is going to be AWESOME

10 years ago

I got Holly's Dazzler this spring, simply because it was shown as a fragrant hosta. Well, that is only the first of her virtues. She has a twisted curl for a leaf tip, sort of like Ringtail. She has a shiny leaf with medium substance in this first year here. And now I see her flowers. Honest, this is the most beautiful sight to see in the dark green expanse of fern and hosta leaves, with filtered light coming through the sasanqua low canopy.

First shot to knock your socks off, then I'll post more of her.

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Comments (16)

dg
10 years ago
Whoa, it IS awesome!
Terrific photo, kind of looks like a hollyhock flower spire. Very pretty and unusual ta boot :-)

Deb
don_in_colorado
10 years ago
Thanks, Mocc! Thanks for the info...I have seen 'Holly's Dazzler' and thought it very pretty, but I didn't know it was fragrant.

Your back 40 is THE place to be come August! : )

Don B.
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Jon 6a SE MA
10 years ago
Nice Moc
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
i am pretty sure the HOLLY named hosta.. had something to do with herb benedict .... but i dont recall this story ...

ken
egflynn
10 years ago
Hi (new poster here):

I picked up Holly's Dazzler at the local Hosta Society's sale a couple of weeks ago because it was so pretty. Didn't realize it was fragrant, too. Bonus!
Steve Massachusetts
10 years ago
What a cool Hosta. I love that inflorescence, and then the beautiful leaves to boot. Interesting that it is fragrant but does not have Plantaginea in its background. It's a ventricosa seedling.

Steve
hostanista
10 years ago
I WANT HER.
User
Original Author
10 years ago
Hmmmm, Steve, I could have sworn it was in the Fragrant list, which was my guide for the latest spate of hosta orders.
You checked, now let me verify I read what I thought I read....
Thanks. Ohhh, I would so hate to lose this virtue....

Well, I read correctly, but not on Don Rawson's Fragrant Flowered Hosta List. It was at Hallsons website at the link below. MYHOSTAS.BE says it is ventricosa seedling. I did not check anything further, just made sure I got every last fragrant hosta that Hallson sold!

As pretty as that hosta is and fragrant to boot, I thought to myself, it doesn't get any better than this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hallson fragrant hosta
mbug_gw
10 years ago
Just Great!
paula_b_gardener 5b_ON
10 years ago
Lovely hosta! Thanks for introducing a new one (to me).
don_in_colorado
10 years ago
Hosta Library says..."Medium green, glossy foliage is great but the fragrant purple flowers will dazzle you."

Gotta get this plant!
Sounds like a winner...
Don B.
User
Original Author
10 years ago
Okay, so go get it.
There is a song for folks like us, succumbing to the lure of hosta.
One of my favorite songs, remember where I first heard it too....headed offshore just off of Galveston Tx....

Here is a link that might be useful: Chris Rea
esther_b
10 years ago
LOVE the beautiful flowers! Just real eye-candy.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
Hmmmm, Steve, I could have sworn it was in the Fragrant list, which was my guide for the latest spate of hosta orders.

and

i am pretty sure the HOLLY named hosta.. had something to do with herb benedict .... but i dont recall this story ...

==>>> ok.. let me rephrase what i didnt even come close to saying.. lol ...

herb benedict.. back in the 80's or so.. was messing with propagating hosta .... FRAGRANT hosta ... as thre werent many in the hosta world... but i dont recall with what.. but those purple BELL SHAPED flowers ought to give us a clue ...

somehow he came up with holly.. he felt it was some kind of breakthrough ... and looking at the plant.. perhaps he somehow got ventricosa to cross with plantiginea... or some other fragrant one ... i dont know!!!! [someone can use myhosta to work this all out]

he came up with PERHAPS.. holly .. or holly's honey ... and all i know after this.. is that i thought there were 2 or 3 or 4 ... versions of the holly name.. as well as herbs fragrant hosta like sweet winifred [which i think was mrs englearth] ... sweet susun.. honey this.. holly that.. etc ... sweet this.. stinkin that ... etc ....

got it?? .. lol ...

jim wilkins probably knows the history .... did zillis cover any of this in his tome ...???? doubt schmid did ...

one thing for sure.. herb was a pun master ... and all of his fragrant hosta's names.. tell you such ... so .. and in this case.. its his use of HOLLY... that tells you its fragrant like its momma ....

ken

ps: i just verified all this nonsense by going to the library.. seeing a dozen holly names... going to HD.. and seeing its benedict ... than going to myhosta and verifying its is hollys honey selfed ... and a ventricosa look alike.. crikey i nailed this .. lol ... its not a good sign.. i peaked at 830 in the morning.. its surely all down hill from here ...

Here is a link that might be useful: link
User
Original Author
10 years ago
Gee, Ken, you are on a roll this morning. Really, thank you for chiming in with your history lesson. It is much appreciated.

I would have missed this fragrant hosta if not for Hallsons' list of the fragrant hosta they sold....good enough for me, just GET IT.
I love it when things come together that way. :)

Now I will look for the other HOLLY names from Herb Benedict. Especially Holly's Honey, the mother plant for this brood. I found Sweet Winifred over at Van Wade's place, so it's already here.

When I get them all in one spot, like a convention of fragrant flowered hosta, I'm going to tell them: REPRODUCE. Don't just sit there looking pretty...DO SOMETHING.

Ken, your post is going into the record I keep for Holly's Dazzler. Truly, it helps me uncover information lost by the passing of time. You're a tribal shaman, storyteller. We sit around the campfire, smoke the peace pipe, have some brew, and you regale us with days of glory for hosta pioneers. How else would we know these things, without you?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
You're a tribal shaman, storyteller.

==>> i have been called a lot of things.. many not repeatable ...

but this is a new one.. lol..

i am honored... i am glad you thought it was worth my effort...

now if someone would confirm any of it is true.. lol ...

ken

ps: it true.. i am just being humble .. or full of it.. whatever ...