It’s the behavior, not the name that guarantees longevity
Q: I have a question for you about cultivars for a project I am working on. Will some of the plant cultivars with really unique names like ‘Jurassic begonia’ or ‘New York Night’ hellebore be available to consumers indefinitely, or do new cultivars like that have a limited life span in stores or online?
A: I understand your question about plant names’ longevity. For fun, I went to the Plant Delights catalog to look for the longevity of hosta plant names. The owner, Tony Avent, named ‘Out House Delight’ hosta, ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ hosta, and ‘Little Redneck’ hosta. These outre named hosta have enjoyed varying life in the marketplace. On the other hand, ‘Sum and Substance’ has been around for twenty years. My point is that the varying names for hostas do not guarantee success. It’s their behavior in the garden that guarantees longevity. ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ is still available, but ‘Outhouse Delight’ has faded into the archives. The thick leaves, resistance to sun damage, and outstanding flowers make ‘Sum and Substance’ a keeper. My guess is some breeder chose the name Jurassic to apply to some of the many hybrids of big-leafed, strong-stemmed begonias. I don’t know who the breeder was, but I’ll bet they’re big. ‘New York Night’ hellebore originated at Walters Gardens which is comparatively small. The black flower color or some other characteristic may carry it for a long while but no one can predict how long.
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Mahonia- Propagation from Seed
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Crapemyrtle – Moving
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Allamanda, Mandevilla and Dipladenia – Differences
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Plants – Getting More Information
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Spider – Control
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Walnut Caterpillar – On Walnut Tree
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Grass – Mixing Fescue and Rye
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Rosemary – Growing Indoors
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Pansies – Latest Date For Planting
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Moss – Control
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