Our canine, a rottie, habitually grabs chunks off a couple of our hostas in our sideyard. Never seen any ill effects but than again it's at best the equivalent of one Hyacinthina leaf, so not a large amount for a 105 lbs dog.

To my mind a hybrid is the result of a deliberate cross, be that between 2 species, a specie and a sport or hybrid, or between 2 hybrids. A seedling to me is from seed of an open pollinated plant.

From the "Hosta Dictionary" posted on the American Hosta Society webpage:

HYBRID - seedling from two distinct genetically different parents.

SEEDLING - plant of seed origin.

According to the definitions given above, all hostas are seedlings if they were started from seed, and that would include all hybrids.

I guess the only hostas which are not seedlings are species found growing in the wild, and mutations (sports) which are divided off the parent plant.

to me.. hybrid implies a KNOWN cross ....

and seedling is not known.. other than it was from a seed ... else you would list it as a hybrid of elatior x blue moon.. or some such .... as an example ....

a hybrid is a seedling.. but a seedling is not necessarily a know hybrid ...

or.. your sources dont understand that words mean things.. and use them interchangeably ....

another example .... an OP ... is a seedling ... but not a hybrid???

ken

You asked if hostas are toxic. Here are some links which may be helpful.

Are hosta plants poisonous?

24 Common Plants Toxic to Our Pets

Animal Poison Control Center

I've never seen a dog or cat even remotely interested in eating a hosta, and I'm been to plenty of gardens that were home to both. Mine included. At worse, it sounds like an upset stomach will result.

Thank you knowledgeable people. Any hosta that is not a sport can now safely be called a seedling for a calendar I'm making. It is confusing when a book or the library calls a plant a hybrid and does not give the parents or calls something a seedling and then does give the parents. I guess it doesn't matter in the long run.

As far as hostas being poisonous to cats and dogs, I'm not really worried since mine have never eaten hostas that I know of. The horses that get loose around here must know because they never touch them. They prefer roses and daylilies. Wouldn't it be great if some smart person could figure out a way to make all slugs and snails be poisoned by hostas.

Someone who does not know or grow hosta must have misinformed the ASPCA with these comments; in my 50+ years working with hosta and gardening people/pets I have yet to hear of any poison effects with pets. Ever.

Their warning is quite overdone and overblown?

Fine print for lawsuits, maybe? Sad to read!

As a chemical engineer by profession and training, I believe it is safe to say there are saponins in hosta leaves, but they are in a lot of vegetative matter, so again someone making a stretch.

Certainly if your cat or dogs weighing 50 lbs eats one pound per day of ventricosa leaves for a few days (I would probably remove the dog anyway for destroying the garden!) it would have undesirable side affects.

Let me know if there is actual data to support this bizarre claim.

From the link ( which is relatively recent and now obviously true for all time - NOT!)

"Be cautious when trying these methods as the materials used in these remedies can be allergic to your pet. First, check him for any adverse reactions to these repellent, then only proceed further. If your pet has ingested these leaves, then first contact the veterinarian or animal poison control center. Provide all the medical details of your pet to the vet. The poisonous chemical in these plants, saponin, can lead to formation of gas in dogs and cause nausea. The other symptoms of hosta leaves ingestion are vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, lack of appetite as well as locomotor problems. Although severe side effects are rare from consuming these leaves, it can happen if ingested in large amounts.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/are-hosta-plants-poisonous.html

My response: humans have been eating hosta leaves for years, in Asia, in America, etc.

Recipes have appeared in magazines and books; the Chinese have even published recent research on the medical uses and potentials for hosta leaves, similar to comfrey. I have the reference should anyone wish to see it.

Page 41, The Hosta Book, 2nd edition comes to mind; " Marinated hosta petioles served as a vegetable". We had hosta salad served at a AHS National Convention!

It would seem this poison claim is quite excessive (yet understandable in our risk-averse society) and the work of those who would have us not enjoy with our pets the wonder of gardening with hosta.

If my dog or cat ate too much broccoli it would indeed have side effects, which I would have to clean up off the carpet or floor!

That is a problem with the pet, not the plant!!! Yes the owner should monitor what the pet eats?

Let's remember to take some sanity check when reading some of these "helpful warnings on the Internet!

Thanks for asking.

Bruce

.