2011 Big Bid Items

These were the items that brought the highest bids ($200+) at the
2011 AHS On-Line Auction.

2011 AHS Online Auction Results & Summary

H. 'Bob Axmear' (Meyer – NR)

This is the second-ever piece to be released of H. 'Bob Axmear', which is named in honor of the creator and webmaster of the much acclaimed Hosta Library, a reference for hosta and website for the AHS On-line Auction.

The timing of this donation could not be better for celebrating Bob being the 2010 recipient of the Alex J. Summers Distinguished Merit Award! Donated by the First Look organizers, Bill Meyer and Carol Brashear, this plant is as special as the individual that it is named to honor. Bill put it well, “'Bob Axmear' is a streaked sport of the strong-growing 'Elegans' that is sometimes called 'Gray Cole'. It has all the good qualities of 'Dorothy Benedict' and none of the bad. Growth is good and steady with, so far no tendency to stabilize into an edge or center. Streaking is a good cream color with no greenish tinge. It will make a big plant.” He continued, “It sets very well, rarely missing a flower, and the seed germinates perfectly. The seedlings grow much better than DB seedlings - usually twice as fast, and exhibit a good range. Overall, this is a top-notch hybridizing plant that can't be topped for H. sieboldiana parentage. The first (and only) time it was auctioned it went for $953!"

Bob Kuk Breeder (Kuk – NR)

The winner of this auction will receive an extra large splashed division of Bob's very own breeder: `Dorothy Benedict' x `Rippling Waves'. This plant has a history of being a repeat bloomer, blooming in late June and then some years in late September. Mature leaf size is 9" x 11". This is the plant that started Bob's exploration into and successive productive of sugar water crosses in 2000. Note also that flowers tend to flower in bunches which suggests fasciation. Shipment will not be made until June 1, 2011, to insure good splashed variegation. RARE and wonderful, this plant offers the hybridizer the chance to create offspring from the same plant in both the early and late season! Do not expect to see this one available again soon or often.

H. 'Brant Rock Jetty' (Goodenough - NR)

His best streaker yet, 'Brant Rock Jetty' is Rick Goodenough's donation to the 2011 AHS Auction. 'Brant Rock Jetty' is not only a productive breeder, it is a garden luminary that turns heads. A large well built clump demands attention with its vibrant streamers of color. It is a hosta of extremes…extreme puckering, extreme streaking and extreme uniformity of oval rounded leaves with attractive down turned edges. One of the most pebbled streakers, 'Brant Rock Jetty' is a very rare commodity as only one piece has ever left Rick's garden and Rick plans to limit its distribution.

Out of Rick's program with 'Outrageous' as the pod parent, 'Brant Rock Jetty' is named after a local Marshfield beach, Brant Rock. This is your chance to own a piece of this Rock...that is a single division of this one of a kind streaked beauty.

Van Wyk 'Dorothy Benedict' F2 x OP seedling (Van Wyk – NR)

She's Back! Trudy and Bruce Van Wyk dig into their perennial generous nature to bring us one of their exclusive seedlings. A beautifully streaked blue-green plant with famous parentage, this is the result of a second generation seedling from H. 'Dorothy Benedict' crossed by the bees to create this third generation … 'Dorothy Benedict' F2 x OP. It is an nn-named seedling. It bloomed this year with near-white flowers. Better yet, they are enjoying watching streaked seedlings grow this winter … beautiful and fertile yielding viable seed, doesn't get much better! Yours to grow and enjoy, breed with or not, but they ask that the successful bidder must agree not to propagate, sell or share the plant without permission.

H. 'Amethyst Chip' (Benedict – 2000)

H. 'Amethyst Chip' represents the end of the line of the Benedict blues. Following the '98 AHS National Convention, I had the pleasure of visiting Herb and Dorothy Benedict. He showed me his latest pride and joy, seven seedlings from H. 'Purple Verticulated Elf' selfed. They were all mini-small in size, blue of varying degrees, each a varying form, and substance was superb. Three stood out as steps forward in blue color. Each had what Herb coined as “purple blue” noticeably more intense than their mother. He insisted that I take entire plants with the intention of continuing their genes into the future, as he was done hybridizing. I agreed on the condition that they would only be used to distribute to his closest, long term friends (four at this time) and raise funds for the AHS, as he had done. None have been or are being mass propagated. Here is the SECOND of the three. H. 'Amethyst Chip' forms a clump 7” H and 10” wide, holds its intense “purple blue” late into the season, and is fertile both ways. A single mature OS division is offered by Don Dean for only the second time at auction. Again, never mass released and not in nor any plans to put into production, this plant was held back primarily help raise funds for the AHS.

H. 'Sounds of Kinnick' (Kuenster - NR)

This beauty came from a cross of 'Dorset Clown' X 'Blue Belly'. A seedling that Rod gave Jeff a few years back that is fertile both ways and gives nice streaked blue offspring. 'Blue Belly' is one of Rod's creations that he uses as the pollen donor to get many of his nice blue streakers.

This will be the first time a piece has ever been released and no others are planned in the near future. Jeff gave it the name to reflect that you can hear the sounds of Kinnick Stadium (Univ. of Iowa) from Rod's gardens when a football game is going on.

A rare and wonderful choice donated by Jeff Moore!

H. 'Rust Bucket' (Goodenough - NR)

'Rust Bucket' is a beautifully puckered viridescent hosta that started out with a red flash on the bold yellow leaves, and over the years the red became unnoticeable. Rick considered pitching the plant into his compost bucket. Some distraction saved the plant from the 'bucket' and a few weeks later Rick noticed a rusty red scape forming on the lucky plant, so Rick thought he would keep it under observation for another season.

The following spring it emerged even more boldly, an edgy yellow with even more uniform pebbling. Those features along with the interesting rusty scapes saved the day. Now you have a unique opportunity to acquire one of the first divisions to ever leave Rick's garden of his unique and stunning hosta, 'Rust Bucket'. Rare and WONDERFUL!

H. 'Tall, Dark, and Handsome' (Stegeman - NR)

This generous donation comes directly from the originators, Bev and Dave Stegeman. Like your hosta dark, like them glossy, and like them handsome? This one is for you. This plant is very fertile and a good grower. This beauty makes a very large clump. Last August it was 62" wide and 36" high, leaves about 12" x 15-1/2", and leaves have 14-15 vein pairs. The "mom" is an Olga Petryszyn seeding of 'Niagara Falls' x 'Grand Canyon' and the "dad" is 'Blue Umbrellas'. The plan is to register 'Tall, Dark, and Handsome' this year. There are no plans at present to TC it. It is yours to grow and enjoy, breed with or not, but they ask that the successful bidder must agree not to propagate, sell or share the plant without permission.

This beauty is only available here...good luck! Bev and Dave Stegeman donate at least two eye piece (OS, of course) for spring delivery.

H. 'Kiwi Ingenuity' (Sligh – NR)

'Kiwi Ingenuity' comes to us originally all the way from the other side of the world, one of Barry Sligh's creations. Envision streaked green, blue, and gold foliage. This one will get pretty large. Part of a generous donation provided by the team of Rod Kuenster, Jeff Miller, and Jeff White with an emphasis on the passion … streaked breeders! A double mature division will be shipped from Jeff Miller's Land of the Giants Hosta Farm in the spring.

H. 'Arten' (Livingston – NR)

This is 'Arten', a cross from one of his plants, 'Ritz', that is a 'Spritzer' x 'Elegans' seedling. 'Ritz' is an unlikely seedling in its own right, due to such a difference in breeding times of the parents. Ron got creative and obtained a scape of 'Elegans' at a local nursery in order to use pollen that typically would not have been available. The leaves of 'Arten' are interesting in several ways. They seem to cup unlike other cuppers, are slightly ruffled, and are light colored on the back side. Very heavy substance foliage presents itself in a medium sized. Very rare, only two have left Ron's garden. Ron has donated a double division of this rare and wonderful plant.

H. 'Fickle Blue Genes' (Elslager - 2000)

One of the more popular breeding plants in recent history coming from Ed Elslager's program, this cross of H. 'William Lachman' X H. hypoleuca has produced some dandy offspring. Medium blue-green streaked leaves have a medium blue green margin which is slightly rippled, slightly shiny on top, glaucous bloom underneath, and a petiole that is streaked. Put it all on a medium-small, upright growing clump and you have the picture. Part of a generous donation provided by the team of Rod Kuenster, Jeff Miller, and Jeff White with an emphasis on the passion...streaked breeders! A double mature division will be shipped from Jeff Miller's Land of the Giants Hosta Farm in the spring.

2011 AHS Online Auction Results & Summary