H. ‘Nicola’

Overview

'Nicola' is a small green hosta registered in 1984 by A. Eason, with England given as the location. Parentage is recorded as unknown. The leaf is bright medium green, 5 in (12.7 cm) long and 3 in (7.6 cm) wide, with only 5 vein pairs, and the registrant described the plant as a loose, spreading mound.

In the Garden

The registered size is 12 in (30.5 cm) across and 12 in (30.5 cm) high. Lavender flowers are listed, carried on scapes of 15 in (38.1 cm). The entry has no growth rate and no clump age, so it says nothing about how fast the clump spreads.

How it compares

'Tall Twister' was registered at exactly the same 12 in by 12 in, yet the leaf is very different: 12 in long and only 2 in wide, ruffled, against the broader 5 by 3 in leaf of 'Nicola'.

'Devil's Poker' also matches the 12 in by 12 in size but is upright, with very red petioles running into the veins and bright red to red-purple scapes of 12 to 22 in.

'Sweet Winifred' is a hybrid of H. plantaginea registered in the same year as 'Nicola'. It is registered as a tight clump 14 in across and 8 in high, against the loose, spreading mound recorded for 'Nicola'.

Flowers and other notes

The record does not say how old the measured clump was, so the sizes may understate a mature plant, and it gives no bloom dates. For general care, see the hosta care guide.

Sources: AHS Registry records for 'Nicola' (#4017), 'Tall Twister' (#5608), 'Devil's Poker' (#1420) and 'Sweet Winifred' (#5586), hostaregistrar.org.