<i>Hosta </i>plant named ‘Emperor's New Clothes’

Abstract

A new and distinct Hosta plant named ‘Emperor's New Clothes’ with large-sized, rounded-mound habit of large ovate to nearly cordate foliage. Leaves begin the season with a yellowish-green with dark-green speckles, patches and streaks and mature to a minty green from tiny speckling on a white background, with patches and streaks of dark-green. The plant produces pale purple flared campanulate flowers on upright scapes well above the foliage beginning in mid-June and continuing for about four weeks.

Claims

1. A new and distinct ornamental Hosta plant named ‘Emperor's New Clothes’ as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the overall appearance of a three-year-old plant, including the unique traits of ‘Emperor's New Clothes’. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum, temperature, source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation in color.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a plant grown in a shaded trial garden in peak mid-summer flowering.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a close-up of a leaf in early season prior to flowering.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a close-up of leaf in late season.

(5) FIG. 4 shows the flowering scape of the new plant with open flowers and young buds.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(6) The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2015 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where common dictionary terms are used. The new plant, Hosta ‘Emperor's New Clothes’, has not been observed under all possible environments. The phenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions, such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, but without any change in the genotype. The following observations and size descriptions are of a three-year-old plant in a shaded trial garden in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer. Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid. Parentage: The parent plant is ‘Empress Wu’. Propagation: Garden division. Growth rate: Moderate to rapid. Crop time: About 2 to 3 months to finish during the summer in a one-liter container from rooted tissue culture plantlet. Rooting habit: Normal, fleshy, lightly branching. Root color: Variable, nearest RHS 164D to RHS 158D depending on soil type. Plant shape and habit: Hardy herbaceous perennial with basal rosette of mostly outwardly pointed leaves emerging from rhizomes producing a large symmetrical rounded-mound of leaves. Plant size: Foliage height to about 53.3 cm from the soil line to the top of the leaves and about 104 cm wide at the widest point slightly above the soil line. Foliage description: Ovate to nearly cordate; glabrous, top surface begins season slightly glaucous becoming dull matte surfaced to slightly shiny, and bottom surface is glaucous and tends to stay through most of the season; margin entire and moderately sinuate; narrowly acute and twisted apex with attenuate base; with slightly impressed veins. Leaf blade size: To about 22.9 cm long and 15.2 cm wide; width to length ration of about 1:1.5 but typically becomes broader with maturity; with patches and speckles of various sizes of between 0.5 mm diameter and 6.0 cm long and 1.5 cm across. Leaf blade color: Early season and shortly after emerging variable, adaxial between RHS 145D and RHS 150D with irregularly-sized and shaped patches and speckles of variable green colors comprising RHS NN137A, N138A, RHS 144A and between RHS N138D and RHS 189B, abaxial nearest RHS 150D with irregular patches and speckles comprising RHS 191C and RHS N138D; late summer to early tall adaxial main color a mist whitish-green between RHS NN155C and RHS NN155D having a minute speckling of nearest RHS 137A with irregular patches and streaks of variable green colors comprising nearest RHS 144A and between RHS N138A and RHS 189A, late summer to early fall abaxial main color between RHS 188D and RHS NN155D with speckles or variably-sized patches of nearest 189B and RHS 194B. Petiole: Glabrous; slightly glaucous; concavo-convex; mostly straight from base of plant to leaf blade; to about 33 cm long and at base 19 mm across about 5 cm above the soil. Petiole color: Early season adaxial distally between RHS 139B and RHS 139C with minute speckles less than 1 mm nearest RHS 139B, abaxial nearest RHS 138C; late summer to fall adaxial nearest RHS N147A and abaxial distally nearest RHS 138D. Veins: Parallel; only lightly impressed adaxial, slightly costate abaxial; 13 to 14 pairs with one midrib. Veins color: Adaxial nearest RHS 145A; abaxial nearest RHS 145C with abaxial midrib nearest RHS 145D. Flower description: Buds: One day prior to opening clavate with acute apex gradually tapering to a long thin corolla tube and rounded base; nearest RHS 91D in basal portion and RHS 92D at middle and apex; to about 38 mm long, and 7 mm wide at the broadest portion, corolla tube portion to about 15 mm and 3 mm diameter. Bud color: Nearest RHS 91D at base and RHS 92D at middle and apex. Flowers: 28 to 34 per scape; tightly arranged with about 6 to 8 flowers per 1 cm centimeter of scape in some areas and spaced 1 cm apart in other areas; funnelform; about 32 mm wide and 51 mm long to exserted stigma, (distal flowers opening smaller); remain open for a normal period, usually one to two days on or cut from plant; scapes remain effective from mid-June into mid-July in Zeeland, Mich.; no detectable fragrance. Tepal: Two nearly identical sets of three fused at the basal two thirds; acute apex; margins entire; approximately 47 mm long and 8 mm wide (outer set) 47 mm long and 9 mm wide (inner set). Tepal color: Adaxial outer set lighter than RHS 76D on margin and center nearest RHS 76C with veins between RHS 76B and RHS 76A, abaxial nearest RHS 76D; adaxial inner set lighter than RHS 76D on margin, center nearest RHS 76C and veins nearest RHS 76A, abaxial nearest RHS 76D. Pedicel: Cylindrical; glaucous; approximately 13 mm long, 1.5 mm wide; attitude mostly outwardly. Pedicel color: Distally nearest RHS NN155A and proximally nearest RHS 150D. Peduncle: Cylindrical; glaucous; usually one per division, erect to slightly arching, about 9 mm diameter at base, average 82 cm tall. Peduncle color: Nearest RHS N138B. Gynoecium: Single; superior; about 51 mm long. Style: About 44 mm long, 1 mm diameter, curled upward at distal 10 mm; color base nearest RHS 145D, nearest RHS NN155D in distal 12 mm. Stigma: 1.5 mm diameter; pubcrulcnt; color nearest RHS NN155D. Ovary: Fluted longitudinally; ellipsoidal; to about 5 mm long and 3 mm across; color nearest RHS 146D. Androecium: Six. Filaments: Six; about 0.5 mm in diameter and 47 mm long, curving upward the last 1.0 cm; nearest RHS NN155D distally and between RHS 145D and RHS NN155D proximally. Anthers: Oblong; dorsifixed; longitudinal; about 4 mm long and 1.5 mm wide; dorsal color between RHS N187C and lighter than RHS N77D, ventral between RHS 177A and RHS 177B. Pollen: Elliptical, less than 0.1 mm long, nearest RHS 13B. Bracts: Subtending one or more flowers; lanceolate; widest at base and tapering to acute apex; truncate sessile base; margin entire; protruding upward about 80-degree angle away from scape; average about 17 mm long and 7 mm wide in middle; decreasing distally and increasing proximally in both length and width. Bract color: Young bracts adaxial between RHS 146D and RHS 160D, abaxial nearest RHS 146D with a moderate blush of nearest RHS 146B; near flower opening adaxial between RHS 160D and RHS 157B, abaxial adaxial between RHS 160D and RHS 157B with light blush of nearest RHS 76C. Fruit: Rare; tri-valved dehiscent capsule; oblong; apiculate apex and truncate base; lightly furrowed; about 22 mm long and 5 mm diameter; color as developing nearest RHS 137A, if maturity reached between RHS 164C and RHS 164D. Seed: Typically few per capsule under pollination attempts; endospermic; flattened-elliptic wing surrounding embryo situated toward one end of ellipse; up to 5 mm long and 1.5 mm wide and 1 mm thick at embryo; color nearest RHS 202A. Disease tolerance and resistance: Hosta ‘Emperor's New Clothes’ has not shown any resistance or susceptibility to pests and diseases except that common to Hostas. Growth: The new plant grows best and shows best coloration with plenty of moisture, adequate drainage and light shade, but is able to tolerate some drought when mature. Hardiness: At least from USDA zone 3 through 9.