About Our Plants- Maturities We Offer

We uniquely offer three plant maturities. This means 3 different price points, more varieties, and the newest plants on the market- often earlier than competitors. We put forth our best effort in preventing plant diseases.

It is difficult to give a completely accurate representation of our plants because they grow throughout the season, they have different growth rates (rate of new divisions year to year), they reach different sizes at maturity, and plants in the same maturity may not be the same age. The following photos give you a good idea of what we offer.

Starter (TC)

These are shown with the "lab dirt" rinsed off and the roots untangled. These are usually shipped with the dirt and in cellpacks. (From left: 'American Sweetheart,' 'Blue Mouse Ears,' 'Climax,' 'Eternal Flame,' 'Rainforest Sunrise,' and 'Teeny-weeny Bikini.')

Starter (TC) After One Year

These are Starter (TC) planted 11/08. Pictures taken 9/09. Note: these are fast-growing varieties that were grown in full sun (which often elongates leaves). They will be sold as Mature Divisions at 3-5 years of age. (From left: H. 'Dark Shadows,' H. 'Komodo Dragon,' and H. 'Rainforest Sunrise.')

Starter (TC) After Two Years

(Left: H. 'Sum and Substance' after two years of growth. Right: H. 'Pandora's Box' after one and two years of growth.)

Starter (TC) Year by Year from Customers Phil and Gayle Hartley Alley

Hosta pictured: H. 'Sugar and Spice.' Left: Starter (TC) in first year Center: Same plant in the second year. Right: Same plant in the third year. This is a great example of how hostas "sleep" in the first year, "creep" in the second year, and "leap" in the third year.

Advanced Starters

These are generally grown in biodegradable Elle pots. The slight porosity of the paper "pot" allows more air to get into the roots, leading to faster growth and larger root size. (Left: H. 'Fire Island.' Center: H. 'Maui Buttercups.' Right: H. 'Parhelion.')

Mature Divisions

These are almost always started from tissue culture (or disease-free lab-grown plants) and grown outdoors in our carefully maintained nursery. Employees wear santitized shoes and garden tools are sterilized and only used at this location. The deep soil is a combination of manure, wood waste, organic matter, coarse sand, and more. Many of the hostas are grown in full sun for faster growth. (Left: H. 'Chartreuse Wiggles.' Right: H. 'Lady Isobel Barnett.')

Mature Hosta Clumps

Note: Our Mature divisions come off of these clumps.

(Left: Our webmaster and Senior VP of Operations Joe Husby with H. 'Regal Splendor' and H. 'Sum and Substance.' Right: The root system of a H. 'Lady Isobel Barnett' clump.)