H. ‘Continental Divide’
Hosta ‘Continental Divide’ is a registered cultivar () .
| Year registered | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Section class | I-6a (Giant) |
Last checked against the AHS registry:
Overview
'Continental Divide' (2008) has 'Dorothy Benedict' as pod parent and 'Elatior' × 'Niagara Falls' as pollen parent. It was originated and named by O. Petryszyn and introduced and registered with M. Groothuis. The registrant's note sums it up: a deeply veined, gracefully arching mound with three distinct colors in the leaves. The ovate leaves are 14 by 10 in (35.6 by 25.4 cm), light green to chartreuse in the center with a dark green margin 2 to 3 in wide, dull on both sides and moderately wavy.
In the Garden
The plant is registered as a mound 52 in (132.1 cm) across and 26 in high, with a moderate growth rate and light green scapes of 34 to 42 in. Its color does not stand still. According to the record, the center gets lighter and the margin darker as the season progresses, so contrast increases into summer rather than fading.
How it compares
'Transformer' (2009) runs the other way. It opens with a streaky creamy white center inside a dark green margin, then the center turns green from mid-June until by mid-July it almost matches the edge. It is registered as upright, at a similar 54 by 28 in.
'Lean on Me' (2008) uses a similar scheme reversed in tone: a greenish yellow center ripening to golden yellow, framed by a medium blue-green margin of 2 to 4 in, on an upright plant registered at 60 by 29 in.
'David A. Haskell' (1999), a sport of 'Sum and Substance', gives the opposite layout with a medium green center and a yellow margin 3 in wide. Its leaves are larger, 18 by 14 in, its registered growth rate is fast, and its scapes are registered at 68 to 70 in.
Flowers and other notes
Near-white flowers with a pale lavender center stripe are recorded from late June to early August, and the plant sets viable seed. Light and slug notes are absent; see the hosta care guide.
Sources: AHS Registry records for 'Continental Divide' (#1150), 'Dorothy Benedict' (#1481), 'Transformer' (#5800), 'Lean on Me' (#3327) and 'David A. Haskell' (#1372), hostaregistrar.org.
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 26 in (66 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 52 in (132.1 cm) |
| Leaf length | 14 in (35.6 cm) |
| Leaf width | 10 in (25.4 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 14 |
| Leaf | light green to chartreuse with 2 to 3in (5.1 to 7.6cm) wide, dark green, slightly rippled margins; dull on top; dull underneath; moderately wavy |
| Flower scape height | 34–42 in (86.4–106.7 cm) |
| Seasonal colour change | center gets lighter, margin gets darker as season progresses |
| Notable characteristics | deeply veined gracefully arching mound with 3 distinct colors in the leaves |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (I-6a, giant size):
- H. ‘Lean on Me’ (2008)
- H. ‘Transformer’ (2009)
- H. ‘Final Summation’ (2008)
- H. ‘Mary Schwartzbauer’ (2008)
- H. ‘Angel Eyes’ (2009)
- H. ‘Caliban’ (2009)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #1150. How we check this data.