Name Dropping

High above the clouds, sitting here at 36,000 feet I became inspired to write about my next article. My semi-annual trek across the country, in search of next year’s nursery stock, has me reminiscing about the colorful nomenclature often associated with the plants you purchase. And the need to understand some Latin and directing that specific vocabulary into everyday usage should not be seen as elitist, but rather as a more clear understanding of what it is you really want in your own garden. Let me explain!

Most of us know that the road to understanding the plant kingdom can be a bit daunting. Our high school science classes taught us all the order of living things. Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus and Species are words that may conjure up feelings of not being prepared for your scantron test. Remember those? Fortunately, to communicate, really communicate, at your independent garden centers you really only need to learn the last two. Genus and species, for most, are enough to narrow down the search. Take it one step further and you can get into cultivars. Why is this important? Because all blue spruce are not created equal! Understanding the “big three”, genus, species and cultivar brings you to a level of appreciation and understanding their differences. The individual generic (genus) or specific epithet (species name) is really not confusing once you break it down. Google a plant search for blue spruce cultivars and you’ll see what I mean. The name Picea pungens will keep coming up, reinforcing the genus and species. But what about all those names in single quotations? The colorful names of people and places, where did they come from?

Too many to ever list all of them, let’s talk about a few of the most popular. Picea pungens ‘Fat Albert’ was named, as you would imagine, after Bill Cosby’s cartoon character. Found in 1976 by Iseli Nursery in Oregon, ‘Fat Albert’ was chosen because it is “the fattest, bluest, most perfect BIG blue spruce grown”. Another popular plant that adorns many homes in New Jersey is Nellie Stevens holly (Ilex x ‘Nellie R. Stevens’). Who was Nellie Stevens? She was a school teacher and principal whose seed collection was almost lost forever. “Miss Nellie” as she was “affectionately called” collected seed in 1900 from the National Arboretum. Later it was found that the heritage of that collection was English holly (Ilex aquifolium) and Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta). Her seed collection was almost cut down in their later years, but was saved because of collaboration between Eunice Parsons Highley, Nellie Steven’s niece and Mr. and Mrs. Van Lennep. Mr. Van Lennep named the holly for Nellie Stevens and in 1967, some 25 years after Nellie Stevens death, her holly was registered with the American Holly society. The very popular, broadleaf, evergreen, southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’) was chosen by Ray Bracken, a nurseryman whose locution was “if I do nothing else in my lifetime but leave the world a good tree, I’ve done something”. His magnolia was selected not only for its cold hardiness, -22 degrees Fahrenheit, but also for its fungal resistance, huge flowers and shade tolerance. Not to mention the fuzzy-brown undersides of the leaves. One of the most popular harbingers of spring, witchhazel, also has a famed name. Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ was selected by the Arnold Arboretum for its unique combination of fragrance of flowers and cold hardiness. Finally, someone in our own backyard discovered ‘Carol Mackie’ Daphne. Carol Mackie has been described as an amateur horticulturist who may very well have found the quintessential plant. In 1962 this past resident of New Jersey found a lovely variegated daphne with fragrant pale-pink flowers. Soon after, Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’ became elevated to rock star status.

Understanding the “big three” leads you to asking better questions. Knowing that “cool cultivars” have been chosen for specific reasons should leave you asking the question… does the perfect plant exist. The answer is yes! If you want a bright blue spruce with a smaller habit suitable for a foundation planting, chances are it exists. There are reasons certain plants were selected and became marketable cultivars. They may have been selected for their prominent color markings, heavier flower production, glossier leaves, thicker stems or a more narrow habit. The point being, as your appreciation for plant material increases you can begin to select plants and take advantage of what others have found for you. Your garden, in turn, will begin to take on characteristics very specific to your own likings.

Funky Genus

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Reginald Dwight, Gordon Sumner, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu and Norma Jeane Mortenson (Baker) all have achieved worldwide recognition. However, these five people are all better known by such names as Pele, Sir Elton John, Sting, Mother Teresa and Marilyn Monroe. It seems that their born names were not as catchy, desirable or fitting. The same can be said for the genus Funkia. A genus pressing more than 70 species of lily-like plants and native to northeast Asia, Funkia seems to have been replaced by the more popular name Hosta. And while the rejected generic name is still found in some older literature and the occasional trade publication of perennials, Hosta has for the last quarter century been more popular.

Those of you who grew up in Union County in the early 1970’s, particularly those involved with the garden center industry, no doubt remember two sisters in Scotch Plains who supplied perennials to a large number of nurseries. The “Ditzel Sisters” are remembered today as two women who would greet you in the morning with pancake batter on their sleeves and sell “Jersey Grown” perennials later in the day. With a cleverly conceived, segmented, garden spade that was quartered, they could outwork nearly anyone as they would dig and market their plants. Ditzel Farm was across from today’s Union County Votech and is sited here because they marketed and sold hosta, only they called it Funkia.

The etymology of Funkia comes from the work of Heinrich Christian Funck, a German botanist and pharmacist (1771-1839). Displaced later by Austrian physician and botanist Nicolaus Host (1761-1834) the genus name, first and last, has honored the works of both men. The word “Funky” has had its share of negative connotations, thus its Hosta’s turn in the sunlight. Or is it?

While the name is basking in the limelight, Hosta much prefers the canopy cover of deciduous counterparts and coniferous friends. Protected from hot afternoon sun, Hosta is happiest in filtered light and survives admirably in shade. Herbaceous perennial plants, hosta grow from corms or rhizomes and have broad lanceolate or ovate leaves. Leaves that range in size from one inch to over a foot and equal in width. Though typically thought of as a green plant, hosta can surprise with some tantalizing variegated forms and glaucous waxy leaf textures. Generally an easy, long lived plant, relatively free of disease and requiring little maintenance, just water and the occasional plant food, hosta does have a few enemies. Deer, slugs and snails seem to enjoy these broad-leaved friends of ours almost as much as we do. However, as we are enticed visually by the kaleidoscope of colors they have to offer, these predators are bellying up for a culinary feast.

With some three thousand + named and registered varieties already and an almost equal number hoping to become registered, the possibilities are staggering for this herbaceous perennial group. ‘Guacamole’ is a newer, fragrant cultivar offering huge, shiny, chartreuse green leaves with a pronounced blue edge. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ has small gray-green leaves and a texture so thick you have to touch it to believe it’s not artificial. ‘Patriot’, a sport of ‘Francee’ has a dark green center with pronounced white outer markings which are sizably wider (1997 American Hosta Growers Hosta of the Year). ‘Frances Williams’ needs no introduction as it seems to be the most popular of the lot. Heavily corrugated foliage with blue-green and yellow margins keeps this at the top of my list. Finally, rounding out my short list of favorites is ‘Tattoo’. Introduced at the 1994 Atlanta Hosta Convention, this beauty has bright gold leaves, each tattooed with a green outline of a maple leaf in the center, topped off literally with lavender flowers in early summer.

As a proud, upstanding member of the Conifer Society it almost seems sacrilege to talk so prominently of the perennial kingdom. However, realizing that conifers can only be enhanced by the bold textures of deciduous ornamentals, annuals and perennials, I digress in the enjoyment that this genus is there to be enjoyed and showcase the kings of the plant world…Conifers. And I suppose visa versa. Webster’s Dictionary defines “funky” as having an earthy style and feeling. Apropos for the once named Funkia. Finally, there are a number of web sites supporting the genus. Those in particular are www.hosta.org (The American Hosta Society), www.hostalibrary.org (for great Hosta pictures) and www.hostahem.org.uk/ (British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society). Whether you call it Funkia, Hosta, Corfu Lily, Day Lily, Plantain Lily or the Japanese name Giboshi this genus offers enough variety to enhance any garden.