Russ O'Harra Hosta Society
The "featured hosta" section aims to illustrate the wide variety of hosta sizes, shapes, colors, etc. Individual plants are mostly chosen at the whim of the webmaster. :)
January 4, 2026 featured hosta:
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Holar Early Days by R. Van Keer (NR)
It's the start of a new year! In these early days of the year, we have great new hopes and resolutions, although things almost undoubtedly will end up different from our expectations, for better or worse... :) H. 'Holar Early Days' is emblematic of such developments, as it varies over the year.
The spade-shaped leaves in spring are lime green to chartreuse, on reddish petioles, and can brighten to yellow if given enough sunlight. In spring, leaf veins and edges blush with red, although, much like H. 'First Blush', the red is not shown all the time, particularly as leaves become greener later in the season. Lavender flowers are produced on red scapes in late summer. It is a seedling of 'Tequila Sunrise', originating around 2014. Roughly H 12" W 24".
A shaded plant in late September
January 11, 2026 featured hosta:
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Mourning Dove by H. Hansen (r 2005)
The beautiful, gray-brown mourning dove
(Zenaida macroura) is so named because of
its distinctive cooing call, variously described
as mournful, wistful, melancholy, doleful, etc. It comes to mind this week, in the middle of winter, as another tragic, senseless killing in Minneapolis leaves us mourning. Mourning doves can remind us of the violence in our society, but, conversely, can also be a symbol of beauty and remembrance. Perhaps H. 'Mourning Dove' in your garden will be a reminder of these latter thoughts.
H. 'Mourning Dove' has distinctive blue-green, pointed leaves with creamy yellow margins. It forms a low mound with medium lavender flowers produced on arching scapes. It is a seedling of 'Ozaki Special' x 'Blue Jay'. H 12" W 31"
see
A shaded plant in September