H. ‘Urchin’
Hosta ‘Urchin’ is a registered cultivar () .
| Year registered | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Section class | IV-1 (Small) |
Last checked against the AHS registry:
Overview
'Urchin' was registered in 2013. It is a seedling from a long cross that included 'Candy Dish', H. pycnophylla, 'Harvest Dandy' and 'Raspberry Sorbet', with an open-pollinated 'Atom Smasher' seedling as the pollen parent. The leaf is a very shiny lance 5 in long and 1.25 in wide. Its ruffles end in points, which gives the leaf the spiny outline behind the name. The registrant also notes glaucous purple seed pods.
In the Garden
The mound is registered at 13 in across and 8 in high, with a medium to fast growth rate. Purple scapes are registered at 36 in. The registrant recorded medium lavender tubular flowers, from a clump grown in Mansfield, Ohio.
How it compares
'Tall Twister', registered in 1973, is the older narrow, ruffled choice. It is registered at 12 in by 12 in, with a much longer leaf, 12 in by 2 in. Pick it if a long blade matters more than colored scapes; 'Urchin' has the purple scapes and pods and a very shiny leaf.
'Devil's Poker' is registered at 12 in by 12 in, and its leaf is broader, 6 in by 4 in. Its color comes from very red petioles and bright red to red-purple scapes.
Flowers and other notes
The purple scapes are registered at 36 in and the clump at 8 in high, and the plant sets viable seed in purple pods. For planting and slug control see our hosta care guide.
Sources: AHS Registry records for 'Urchin' (#5909), 'Tall Twister' (#5608) and 'Devil's Poker' (#1420), hostaregistrar.org.
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 8 in (20.3 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 13 in (33 cm) |
| Leaf length | 5 in (12.7 cm) |
| Leaf width | 1.25 in (3.2 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 5 |
| Leaf | medium green flat margins; very shiny on top; dull underneath; moderately folded, moderately wavy |
| Flower scape height | 36 in (91.4 cm) |
| Notable characteristics | unique little hosta with leaves seen to have points at the end of the ruffles, the green leaves stand out from the plant like spines, seed pods are an unusual glaucous purple |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
- Pod parent: (sdlg of long cross which included H.' Candy Dish', H. pycnophylla, H. 'Harvest Dandy' and H. 'Raspberry Sorbet' — H. ‘Candy Dish’, H. ‘Harvest Dandy’
- Pollen parent: H. 'Atom Smasher' open pollinated sdlg
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (IV-1, small size):
- H. ‘Chocolate Mint’ (2014)
- H. ‘Green Bag’ (2014)
- H. ‘Devil's Poker’ (2009)
- H. ‘Midnight Ride’ (2004)
- H. ‘Nellie Grey’ (2002)
- H. ‘Temple Bells’ (1992)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #5909. How we check this data.