Hosta 'Tardiflora Kinakafu'

 

This is a non-registered sport of H. 'Tardiflora' of unidentified origin. It has green foliage with yellow medial (center) variegation. The medium size (12 inches high) plant bears lavender flowers late in the season and may not have time to mature and set seed before frost in many northern gardens.

"Plant is in Japan called Kinakafu Aki Gibōshi, the "aureonebulosa Aki hosta" but Aki Gibōshi is H. longipes f. sparsa (purple anthers), not H. 'Tardiflora' (yellow anthers), so the true form of Aki Gibōshi (H. longipes f. sparsa) has mediovariegated mutations, but it probably does. This cultivar is a sport with a yellow center and green margin or a center clouded with yellow. A stable and viridescent form exists. Aside from the variegation it is identical to H. 'Tardiflora'. A host offered as H. tardiva aureostriata hort. in the United states is not related but belongs to the H. sieboldii complex, the main difference is the much heavier substance of the leaves and the much later blooming habit of the variegated H. 'Tardiflora'. Most clones of this cultivar are viridescent. It is available and of interest to the collector."

Mikiko Lockwood in an article on The Hosta Library titled, A Little About Japanese Hosta Terms defines the term kinakafu or ki nakifu as yellow-center(ed).


   

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