- This event has passed.
CS18 – Hostas: Everything You Want to Know About America’s Most Popular Perennial
June 20, 2023 @ 1:45 pm - 2:45 pm
What makes hostas the top-selling perennial in America? Come find out from nationally recognized hosta expert, Rob Mortko. Known as “The Hosta Guy,” his plant knowledge is also relevant to our entire international audience. Join Rob and gain a better understanding of:
- The most popular cultivars.
- Why hostas, native to Japan, China and Korea, can grow just about anywhere.
- Cultural requirements needed for hostas to thrive.
- The latest hybridizing trends.
- How to grow better hostas.
- TRUE or FALSE? “Hostas are shade loving plants.”
Rob Mortko has been a shade gardener and hosta aficionado for over 35 years. Rob and Sheri Mortko’s garden has been featured on tours as well as TV and in gardening publications. During his chemical engineering career, he also operated a retail/mail order hosta specialty nursery. Today, his focus is propagating new hosta cultivars such as Heart and Soul, Mouse Capades, Rising Star, Carry On, and award-winning Stitch in Time. Rob is a popular speaker and writer who has served on the board of the American Hosta Society, American Hosta Growers Association, and Midwest Regional Hosta Society.