Hosta 'One Iota'

A tissue culture sport of H. 'Blue Mouse Ears', this non-registered cultivar from Jim Anderson of Winterberry Farms in Georgia forms a slow growing, small size (8 inches high by 19 inches wide) hosta. The leaves begin the year blue-green and then change to dark green as the summer progresses. They are slightly cupped and nearly round in shape. In July, it bears clusters of pale purple flowers.

The Hosta Journal, (2008 Vol. 39 No 3), says that this cultivar was named for Jim's wife's dog, Iota.

Warren I. Pollock wrote comments about the many sports of H. 'Blue Mouse Ears' (which he termed BME) in The Hosta Journal (2012 Vol. 43 No. 2). He stated, "H. 'One Iota Supreme' is a streaked form of 'One Iota', occasionally labeled 'One Iota Streaked'. Jan van den Top says the creamy yellow of 'One Iota Supreme' is less bright than the creamy yellow of 'Royal Mouse Ears', so expect this coloring for 'Blue Mouse Ears Supreme' and 'Mouse Tracks' too...Many hosta aficionados think 'One Iota Supreme', 'Blue Mouse Ears Supreme' and 'Mouse Tracks' are the same. However, I'm not aware of any side-by-side studies."
 
"H. 'One Iota', 'Mighty Mouse' and 'Lucky Mouse' emerge in the spring with bright creamy-yellow margins that turn creamy white by summer. All have very similar foliage characteristics, often indistinguishable from each other unless examined carefully for minute yellowish hue difference...H. 'One Iota' and 'Lucky Mouse' appear to be the same, having a bit yellower margin than 'Mighty Mouse'. This would be expected since 'Lucky Mouse' sported from 'One Iota Supreme' that reportedly sported from 'One Iota'."
 

An article by Warren I. Pollack in The Hosta Journal  (2020 Vol. 51 No. 1) titled Doppelgänger Hostas: Fancy Name for Look-alike Hostas, included a long list of hostas which various hostaphiles, published articles or other sources have indicated "look" the same. Some of these are, in fact, the same plant with two or more different names. Others are hostas that vary in some minor trait which is not immediately discernable to the casual observer such as seasonal color variations, bloom traits, ploidy, etc. So, as Warren mentions, hostaphiles may differ as to the plants listed but then, their opinions are based on visual observations and interpretations.

 

H. 'Frosted Mouse Ears', H. 'Lucky Mouse', H. 'Mighty Mouse', H. 'Moonshine Mouse Ears', H. 'Mouse Madness' and H. 'One Iota'.

H. 'Mighty Mouse' was included in two separate look-alike lists in the article. One was a list of medial (center) variegated plants while the list above includes marginally variegated hostas. Since 'Mighty Mouse' is marginally variegated, the inclusion on this list appears to be correct.

 



   

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