This spring I got mixed hosta seed from JL Hudson. If I remember rightly, I just started them off in a heated propagator and they germinated in only a few weeks. I was surprised, because I had assumed they would prefer cooler conditions for germination. Still - it worked! Mind you, the seedlings are still only tiny, several months on. But they look to be an interesting mix of colours, including a couple of variegated ones.

Hosta grow readily from seed. Some grow too readily, and all seed pods should be removed, or you will have a hosta lawn instead of grass. I just plant the ones I want outside in the fall and nature does it.

George

Just a stupid question.Where are the seeds on hosta.Ihave them growing everywhere here but I split my every couple of years.

After flowering, the hosta flowers that get pollinated will form pods (after the flower falls off, there may be longish green pods - can't miss them). When they are ready they will start to split open, and there will be a lot of black, one-winged (a lot like maples, but smaller and black) seeds inside. They should be easy to find.

My pods are getting bigger and bigger--but not turning brown or starting to split. Does anyone know how long it takes?

I am very excited to learn that hostas grow from seeds. I have several seed pods that have been haning around (so to speak) for a month or so and, like Hollywog's experience, have not turned brown or split. Now that I know it is possible, I will check them every day!!!!!

It can be so difficult to grow from seed...why do I do it? I think I like the challenge.

Hosta winter sow very well. Join us on the winter sowing forum. Folks over there grow hosta like crazy. Me, I divide hosta, but I'm tempted now to try and winter sow them. I winter sow about everything else.

Give it a shot.

I jsut read on another website that someone had been waiting 7 (SEVEN) years for their seeds to grow and they are jsut now getting to be nice sized. OY! Is this true????? If so. I am throwing out these seeds I got on eBay. Someone got rich off of me!

Hosta grow very well from seed. Seven years to bloom sounds like too long, but they get bigger each year. I've bloomed most in 4 and many in 3 years. The open untended area behind my hosta beds becomes covered with plants and ever summer or so, I look for nice ones to dig and pot up for a neighborhood plant sale before I mow the weeds and grass there. I mow high, and the hosta just grow in a month or so. You can not guarantee what you will get from seed. Even seed from a large stand of a species will give a wide variation as they cross pollinate very easily and commonly.

I'm in! I got some in a trade and I plan to give them a try. I don't care if they don't bloom for seven years. I just like them for the foliage. I think I may try to warm sow some too so I don't have to wait for the winter.

It certainly doesn't take seven years for them to bloom. I started some from seed last spring, and a couple of them are already blooming! However, they ARE still tiny, and I get the feeling I'll have to wait a year or two before they've bulked up to be decent-sized plants.

Too Funny!
Almost a year after asking and first sowing in pots in July, wintersowing and sowing in seed starting mix...

I still have no hostas! lol :)
Cathy

LOL,

Cathy what do you think could be wrong? I'd never tried Hosta seeds before this past fall but I got remarkable good germination results from some extras that someone gave me.

MrBrownThumb

Hi MrBrownThumb,
I really don't know. It shouldn't be the seeds, I received some in trades with several members and they all look as they should (not white, but black).
Ya know... now that you mentioned it, I have some tomato and baby's breath seeds I want to test germinate (wet paper towel/baggie) and I haven't done that with the hosta seeds, so perhaps I'll throw some of those in there too and see what happens!
Thanks for the little boot to the old memory here.
I'll let you know if I get any baby hostas out of it.
(lol I'm sure I'll be screaming about it to EVERYONE! lol)
Cathy