<i>Hosta </i>plant named ‘Mouseketeer’

Abstract

A new and distinct Hosta plant named ‘Mouseketeer’ producing a small-sized upright mound of small leaves that are nearly rounded, lightly cupped, with rounded bases and rounded apices. The leaves are stiff, and smooth, with flat margins and heavy substance. Leaf color is dark green to slightly bluish-green on the wide margins and light yellow in the center with irregular small green flecks and varying shades of light green between the margin and center. The petioles are broad and display the green margin and light yellow center colors. ‘Mouseketeer’ is useful in the landscape, as a container plant, a specimen or en masse.

Claims

1. A new and distinct Hosta plant named ‘Mouseketeer’ as herein described and illustrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The drawings of the new plant demonstrate the overall appearance of the new plant, including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum, temperature, source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variations in color.

(2) The drawings show a five-year-old ‘Mouseketeer’ plant in a trial garden at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplement fertilizer and water as needed.

(3) FIG. 1 shows the landscape foliage habit of a new plant prior to flowering.

(4) FIG. 2 shows a close-up of a leaf with a portion of the petiole.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(5) 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 ‘Mouseketeer’, has not been observed under all possible environments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with plants that are more mature or plants that are less mature. 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 five-year-old plant in a shaded trial garden in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer. Botanical classification: Hosta x hybrid; Parentage: Female or seed parent is a proprietary hybrid H9-273-1; male or pollen parent is ‘Dumbo’; Propagation: Garden division and sterile shoot tip tissue culture; Time to initiate roots from tissue culture: About three weeks; Growth rate: Moderate to slow; Crop time: About six months to finish during the spring in a one-liter container from rooted tissue culture plantlet during the warm portion of the growing season; Rooting habit: Fleshy, lightly branching; Root color: Nearest RHS NN155C when actively growing depending on growing substrate; Plant shape and habit: Hardy herbaceous perennial with basal rosette of leaves emerging from rhizomes producing a small-sized mound of upwardly extending petioles and stiff upright leaves; Plant size: Foliage height to about 23.5 cm above soil line to the top of the leaves, and to about 43.2 cm wide at the widest point about 18 cm above the soil line; Foliage description: Orbicular; rounded apex; rounded to cordate base; margin entire and flat; slightly cupped; not bullate between the veins; glabrous and smooth both surfaces; adaxial and abaxial slightly glaucous becoming matte; stiff but flexible, not arching or waving with wind; variegated; Leaf blade size: To about 9.8 cm long and about 10 cm wide about midway from the base; average about 7.2 cm long and 8.0 cm wide; Variegation dimensions: Margin to 3.3 cm wide, average about 2.3 cm wide; with irregular flecks in the center between 0.5 mm and 13 mm long and 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm across; irregular intermediate zones of 1 mm to 6 mm wide and variable lengths of 2 mm to 50 mm long; Leaf blade color: Early season and expanding adaxial margin between RHS 137A and RHS N138A, adaxial center nearest RHS 11B with flecks nearest RHS 143A and intermediate zones nearest RHS 144A, and between RHS 192B and RHS N138D; early season and expanding abaxial margin nearest RHS 138A, abaxial center nearest RHS 4D with flecks between RHS 144A and RHS N144A, with intermediate zone nearest RHS 193B and RHS 144A; mid-season and mature adaxial margin nearest RHS 137B, center nearest RHS 155D, with flecks between RHS 137D and RHS 144A, and intermediate zone comprising colors of nearest RHS 143A, RHS 146D, and RHS 192A; abaxial mid-season and mature margin between RHS 146A and RHS 138A, center nearest RHS 155B with flecks nearest RHS 145A, and intermediate zone comprising colors of nearest RHS 145A, RHS 192A, and nearest RHS 146D; Veins: 9 to 10 pairs with midrib; mostly flat adaxial and costate and smooth abaxial; Vein color: Young veins in adaxial margin nearest RHS 146A and center region nearest RHS 195B, young abaxial midrib nearest RHS 145D with primary veins nearest RHS 137B in margin portion and in center portion nearest RHS 194A; mature veins in adaxial margin nearest RHS 137B and center nearest RHS 194B, mature veins in abaxial margin nearest RHS 137B and center nearest RHS NN155A; Petiole: Glabrous and matte both adaxial and abaxial; slightly concavo-convex becoming more flattened distally; stiff; upwardly; to 12.5 cm long, 14 mm wide at base, 20 mm wide below blade, and about 4 mm deep; average about 10 cm long, 12 mm wide at base, 16 mm wide below blade, and 3 mm deep; Petiole color: Adaxial margin nearest RHS 137A, center nearest RHS 155B with intermediate zone nearest RHS 146C, abaxial margin nearest RHS 138A, and center nearest RHS NN155A; Inflorescence description: Flowers and buds have not yet been observed; Fruit and seed: Have not yet been observed; Disease resistance: No observed resistance to slug feeding. Other resistance to pests (including: Odocoileus virginianus and Oryctotagus cuniculus) and diseases common to Hostas is equal that typical of other cultivars. Growth: The 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 8, and other disease resistance is typical of that of other Hostas.