Iowa Hosta Collection
Iowa Hosta Collection
The Iowa Hosta Collection is a two-part collection of prominent hosta hybridizers from Iowa. Orginally located at the entrance to the Shade Garden, the planting was moved to the pergola on the north side of the Hughes Educaiton Building in 2002. The original collection commenced with the procurement of Russ O’Harra selections with the establishment of the collection by the Russ O’Harra Hosta Society in 1994. Russ O’Harra was Iowa’s most prominent hosta hybridizers with approximately 34 cultivars credited to his breeding program.
As the Russ O’Harra Collection grew at the Iowa Arboretum, so did the need for space and designation of other noteable hosta hybridizers from Iowa. The pergola was therefore extended as an Eagle Scout Project in 2015 by Bjorn Iverson of Troop 196. The newly expanded pergola provided the perfect opportunity and space to add other Iowa hyrbridizer selections to the grounds. In 2018 a number of Iowa hybridizer hosta cultivars were donated as this installment. Cultivars from Greg Johnson formerly of Marshalltown, Jim Schwarz of Dubuque, the late Gretchen Harshbarger of Iowa City, and Frank Riehl, also of Iowa City are currently featured in the collection.
Accession # | Genus | Cultivar | Common Name | Breeder/Hybridizer | Year Hybridized |
180022* | Hosta | ‘Paul’s Glory’ | Paul’s Glory Hosta | Paul Hofer and Peter Ruh | 1987 |
180053 | Hosta | ‘Garden Treasure’ | Garden Treasure Hosta | J. Schwarz | 1997 |
180054 | Hosta | ‘Rhythm & Blues’ | Rhythm & Blues Hosta | Greg Johnson | 2004 |
180055 | Hosta | ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ | Itsy Bitsy Spider Hosta | Greg Johnson | 2004 |
180056 | Hosta | ‘Bachelor Party’ | Bachelor Party Hosta | M. Zilis and J. Schwarz | 2011 |
180057 | Hosta | ‘Faithful Heart’ | Faithful Heart Hosta | Kirk Brill | 1999 |
180058 | Hosta | ‘Blue Haired Lady’ | Blue Haired Lady Hosta | Greg Johnson | 2004 |
180059 | Hosta | ‘Moonlight Sonata’ | Moonlight Sonat Hosta | Greg Johnson | 2004 |
180060 | Hosta | ‘Captain Kirk’ | Captain Kirk Hosta | Kirk Brill | 1999 |
180061 | Hosta | ‘Veronica Lake’ | Veronica Lake Hosta | Frank Riehl | 1993 |
190002 | Hosta | ‘Bridal Veil’ | Bridal Veil Hosta | Bob Hird | 2005 |
190003 | Hosta | ‘Deep Pockets’ | Deep Pockets Hosta | Bob Hird | 2005 |
190004 | Hosta | ‘Tequila Sunrise’ | Tequila Sunrise Hosta | Greg Johnson | 2004 |
190005 | Hosta | ‘Rosedale Spoons’ | Rosedale Spoons Hosta | Jerry Hadrava | 1999 |
190006 | Hosta | ‘Rosedale Golden Goose’ | Rosedale Golden Goose Hosta | Jerry Hadrava | 1999 |
190007 | Hosta | ‘Li’l Abner’ | Li’l Abner Hosta | M. Zilis and J. Hadrava | 2003 |
Accession #180022 (Hosta ‘Paul’s Glory’) is not an Iowa breeder collection hosta. It was added to this collection in 2018 to honor Herman Koptizke, a late board member and avid supporter of the Iowa Arboretum. Herman was an active member of the Russ O’Hara Hosta Society and an admitted hosta enthusiast. It is for Herman’s devotion to the arboretum and his love of hostas that a memorial sculpture and plant replica of one of his favorite hostas, ‘Paul’s Glory’, is on display in this colleciton. The sculpture was created by Virginia copper work artist Anne Jordan and funded by memorial contributions in honor of Herman.
*This site was last updated on May 21, 2019.