Wu-La-La

Hosta

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Empress Wu'

Summary: The petiole of 'Wu-La-La' is yellow green whereas that of 'Empress Wu' is light to medium green. The leaf blade of 'Wu-La-La' has a small area of light green, flame patterned, secondary colour at the marginal zone whereas the leaf blade of 'Empress Wu' is only one colour. The anthers of 'Wu-La-La' are yellow brown whereas those of 'Empress Wu' are brown purple.

Description:

PLANT: green first scaly leaves

LEAF BLADE: broadest part moderately towards base, broad ovate, cordate base, acute apex, flat to moderately concave in cross section, many parallel veins, absent or very weak bulging, absent or weak blistering, absent or weak undulation of margin, absent or weak twisting
LEAF BLADE COLOUR 1: dark green (RHS 136A-B), medium to large surface area, distributed at centre, solid or nearly solid pattern
LEAF BLADE COLOUR 2: light green (RHS N144B) to light yellow green (RHS 150B), small surface area, distributed at marginal zone, flamed pattern
PETIOLE: inner side "u" shaped in cross section, yellow green, no anthocyanin colouration

INFLORESCENCE: medium number of flowers, erect flower attitude, dark brown green to medium brown green (RHS 146B-C) bracts
FLOWER: single
OUTER COROLLA LOBE: outer side light blue pink (RHS 76D), acute apex
COROLLA TUBE: outer side light blue violet (RHS 76D)
ANTHER: yellow brown

Origin & Breeding History: 'Wu-La-La' originated as an uninduced sport of the parent variety 'Empress Wu' discovered on June 24, 2013. The new variety was developed by the breeder Hans Hansen in Zeeland, Michigan, USA. Initial selections were made in the summer of 2015 based on plant habit, growth rate and foliage colour. The first propagation by shoot tip tissue culture began in 2016.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Wu-La-La' was conducted outdoors under a galvanized steel structure covered with black mesh shade fabric, during the summer of 2021, at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 20 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. Plants were individually potted in 22 cm diameter pots spaced 45 cm apart. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety. All colour determinations were made using 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison table for 'Wu-La-La' with reference variety 'Empress Wu'

Leaf blade colour (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Hosta: 'Wu-La-La' (left) with reference variety 'Empress Wu' (right)