Hosta Pocketful of Sunshine, also called as Pocketful of Sunshine Plantain Lilies, is a cultivars in the Hosta genus. This cultivars was discovered by Amy Bergeron in the fall of 2008 at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich.
DESCRIPTION OF HOSTA POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE
Hosta Pocketful of Sunshine is an uninduced whole plant mutation of Hosta 'Rainforest Sunrise'. The new plant has been successfully asexually propagated by division and tissue culture at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. since August 2009 and found to be stable and produce identical plants that maintain the unique characteristics of the original plant in successive generations of asexual propagation.
It is a herbaceous perennial plant which reaching 20 cm tall by 48 cm spread with rapid growth rate, mounded, usually bilateral and radially symmetrical, compact dense habit. The leaves are thick substance, cordate to rounded-apiculate base, rounded-apiculate apex, entire margins, mostly flat with impressed veins, lustrous becoming rugose with maturity, yellow centers and broad deep green margins with distinct cupping habit, 11.5 cm long by 11 cm wide. The petioles are 10 to 12 cm long, dark green margins and lighter center.
Pocketful of Sunshine Plantain Lilies blooms on upright scapes that are woody and remain on the plant throughout winter. The flowers are funnelform, about 5.0 cm long and 2.8 cm wide, light lavender colored with green floral bracts and are held on the 32 cm long, green colored peduncle.
While usually grown for ornamental purposes, the plants are edible, and are grown as vegetables in some Asian cultures. However, the plants may be toxic to dogs, cats, and horses if consumed in large quantities because some contain saponins. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea.
HOSTA POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Hosta Pocketful of Sunshine do great in shade. Plants grown in full afternoon sun will show signs of marginal burning on leaves in the summer months. They perform best when there is a limited amount of direct or filtered sun during the day (5-6 hours of daily sun). In most cases, early day sun to about mid-morning and late afternoon sun after 5pm will not burn the leaves. Morning sun with some early afternoon sun helps the fragrant blossom to develop.
Temperature:
Pocketful of Sunshine Plantain Lilies do well from USDA Hardiness Zone 3 (-40°F minimum) southward as far as zone 9 (20°F minimum). They need a period of cold weather, at the onset of which they turn a pleasing yellow and then go dormant. Insufficient winter chill and dry air, such as in western deserts, are the chief limiting factors.
Substrate and growing media:
Hosta Pocketful of Sunshine are tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions but will grow best in well drained, slightly acidic pH, rich organic soil. They can also be grown attractively in containers or pots without replanting for two to three or more years given a proper container size, frequent watering, fertilizing.
When making a new bed, many gardeners like to cultivate to a depth of 12-16 inches. Apply 6 inches of organic matter and till it into the new bed. Materials such as compost, leaf mold, well-rotted manure, peat moss, composted pine bark, and municipal sludge products may be used. The addition of organic matter will also serve to raise the bed, which will improve drainage for the plants. The ideal pH range for hostas is 6.5-7.5, which is slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. In higher pH soils, the addition of organic matter such as Canadian peat moss and cottonseed meal will tend to lower the pH.
Watering:
Water is important for optimal growth. A minimum of an inch of water each week is recommended, and can come from rain, irrigation, or hand watering. The plants that are grown in sandy soil may need even more water because of the increased drainage provided by the sandy conditions. In general, the greatest growth occurs when water exceeds the minimum recommended rate. Watering on a regular basis early in the day is highly recommended. The soil should also be checked to make sure runoff is not occurring. A deep watering will ensure good root development.
If the plants do not receive sufficient water, they will begin to go dormant. The plant will wilt followed by a browning and then loss of leaves. This is your plants way of conserving energy and protecting the crown from death. But, if the soil is perpetually soggy, this can create rot. The most critical time to water consistently for successful growing is when the plants break dormancy in spring and when they begin the dormancy process in early fall.
Fertilizer:
A balanced granular fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 5-10-5 can be applied early in the spring, followed by an application six weeks later, followed by a midsummer application. Timing of these applications would typically be early April, mid- to late May, and mid-July.
For optimal results it is recommended that you have a soil test done to see what your soil is lacking before deciding what to fertilize with. Many gardens do not need additional fertilizer if a soil test shows the soil has sufficient amounts of the necessary nutrients. In this case, an addition of compost over the bed once a year, applied in the fall, is usually sufficient.
Pruning and mulching:
In early summer, apply approximately 1 inch of loose organic mulch to inhibit weed growth, reduce water loss and lessen soil compaction. A thick layer of mulch is likely to promote slug populations. Water in the morning so the mulch surfaces dry before evening, and occasionally rake the mulch to improve air movement.
Winter mulch should applied to help newly planted plants from repeated freezing and thawing of the soil. Remove any remaining foliage before a winter mulch is added or snow covers the plants. Remove the winter mulch along with leaf debris in early spring prior to visible growth.
Winter period:
Pocketful of Sunshine Plantain Lilies begin to go dormant in September. Temperatures play a major role in how fast they go dormant. To begin winterizing, if necessary, keep supplying them with an inch or so of water per week throughout the fall. If you have been fertilizing the plants, stop feeding them in late summer or they will continue to produce leaves. These tender new leaves can make the entire plant, including the crown and roots, susceptible to frost damage.
It is best to leave them be until the leaves have lost all coloration as this is when they have stopped storing sugar. Then, you can pull off the dead leaves or let them turn into compost through the winter. Clean the pots and display beds in late fall to early winter as it is one less place for slugs to hide and gives a clean look to the winter beds. The plants in the ground begin to emerge here in late March and are fully developed by mid May.
Pests and diseases:
The most common pests a hosta will encounter are snails and slugs. A somewhat water resistant bait has given us excellent results in controlling their population and keeping them off the hostas. The two best times to bait is in October and February, this will greatly increase the kill rate for season, as there is usually a warmer, dry period in the month when the slugs come out looking for food and lay eggs. Keep in mind pets when using slug bait. Slugs and snails tend to prefer hostas that have relatively thin leaves over the thicker leaved varieties such as blue hostas which have a waxy coating on the leaves that these pests don’t seem to like.
Also, deer may give hostas a try while foraging. Deer that do eat hostas seem to prefer hosta with thinner leaf substance. There is a large array of ways of keeping deer away and repellents available.
Virus are of concern and are an emerging and important issue in growing hostas. Symptoms include an irregular mottling of the foliage, yellow ringspots, or small yellow dots or flecks on the leaves. If a virus is present, the plant should be discarded and tools used in the hosta planting should be disinfected.
Propagation:
Hosta Pocketful of Sunshine begins to show its mature characteristics after three years and should be fully mature at five years. It is easily propagated by dividing existing plants. The plants do not come true when planted from seeds. Some growers do not divide the display plants, as each year they are left undisturbed, they look more and more stunning.
The plants can be divided about any time of the year in more temperate climates where the summers are warm but the nights cool off. If you live in an area that gets hot and humid summers, it is recommended that you split your plants in spring or wait until the summer heat begins to fade and the night time temperatures begin to fall back. If you try to divide your plants under hot, humid conditions, you may have problems with crown rot.
To divide your plants use a sharp knife to cut through the basal plate of hard tissue between the foliage and roots. Divisions are best when an eye is left with some basal plate and roots. Then this can be planted. Keep newly divided plants well watered for the first two weeks, especially if there is a period of drought. Some of the larger leaves on a division may be cut back to reduce water loss. Frequent division of a clump will restrict plant and leaf size, and keep it from developing to its desirable mature features.