EPISODE · Jun 28, 2025 · 53 MIN
Growing Hostas in Florida:Zone 9-11, Overwintering Tips with Renowned Hybridizer Dr. David Bowe
from Hosta La Vista · host Betsy Peterson & Mandy Olson | Hosta Shade Gardening Podcast
Can you grow hostas in Florida? In Zone 9? Zone 10? Zone 11? David Bowe has tried. And in this episode he tells you exactly what he learned.This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy sit down with hosta hybridizer David Bowe — a man who spent decades breeding some of the most personality-packed cultivars in the hosta world, relocated to Miami, and refused to stop being curious about plants. He just had to find different ones.David has registered over 30 hosta cultivars, many of them as memorable for their names as their leaves. Bottle Rockets. Cupid's Bow. Beau Brummell. Summer Rainbow. His hybrids aren't just beautiful — they have a sense of humor, which in a field full of perfectionists is genuinely refreshing. In this conversation he shares what it's like to watch a tiny seedling become a named variety, how he decides which plants make the cut, and why he doesn't take himself too seriously.But the real twist in David's story is Miami. After decades of hosta hybridizing in Ohio, he relocated to Zone 11 — where the blazing heat makes growing hostas nearly impossible. We dig deep into what that transition looked like, what he learned about attempting to overwinter hostas in Zones 9 through 11, whether it's actually worth trying, and what warm climate gardeners can realistically expect when they refuse to give up on their favorite shade plant.And when hostas finally said goodbye, David said hello to orchids — applying the same hybridizing curiosity, patience, and eye for the unusual to a whole new genus in a whole new climate. You just can't keep a good hybridizer down.Whether you're a collector, a hybridizer in training, a warm climate gardener desperately googling whether hostas can survive a Florida summer, or just someone who appreciates a hosta with a sense of humor — this episode is for you.Topics covered:Can you grow hostas in Florida — honest answers for Zone 9, 10, and 11 gardenersHow to overwinter hostas in warm climates — tips, tricks, and reality checksGrowing hostas in Zone 11 — what works, what doesn't, and whether it's worth itDavid Bowe's 30+ registered hosta cultivars — Bottle Rockets, Cupid's Bow, Beau Brummell, Summer Rainbow and moreHow hosta hybridizers choose which seedlings make the cutRelocating from Ohio to Miami and leaving a hosta garden behindFrom hostas to orchids — applying hybridizing skills in a new climateHumor, creativity, and personality in hosta naming and breedingFollow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. Got questions or a story to share? Email us at [email protected], or find us on Facebook and Instagram at Hosta La Vista Podcast.
What this episode covers
Can you grow hostas in Florida? In Zone 9? Zone 10? Zone 11? David Bowe has tried. And in this episode he tells you exactly what he learned.This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy sit down with hosta hybridizer David Bowe — a man who spent decades breeding some of the most personality-packed cultivars in the hosta world, relocated to Miami, and refused to stop being curious about plants. He just had to find different ones.David has registered over 30 hosta cultivars, many of them as memorable for their names as their leaves. Bottle Rockets. Cupid's Bow. Beau Brummell. Summer Rainbow. His hybrids aren't just beautiful — they have a sense of humor, which in a field full of perfectionists is genuinely refreshing. In this conversation he shares what it's like to watch a tiny seedling become a named variety, how he decides which plants make the cut, and why he doesn't take himself too seriously.But the real twist in David's story is Miami. After decades of hosta hybridizing in Ohio, he relocated to Zone 11 — where the blazing heat makes growing hostas nearly impossible. We dig deep into what that transition looked like, what he learned about attempting to overwinter hostas in Zones 9 through 11, whether it's actually worth trying, and what warm climate gardeners can realistically expect when they refuse to give up on their favorite shade plant.And when hostas finally said goodbye, David said hello to orchids — applying the same hybridizing curiosity, patience, and eye for the unusual to a whole new genus in a whole new climate. You just can't keep a good hybridizer down.Whether you're a collector, a hybridizer in training, a warm climate gardener desperately googling whether hostas can survive a Florida summer, or just someone who appreciates a hosta with a sense of humor — this episode is for you.Topics covered:Can you grow hostas in Florida — honest answers for Zone 9, 10, and 11 gardenersHow to overwinter hostas in warm climates — tips, tricks, and reality checksGrowing hostas in Zone 11 — what works, what doesn't, and whether it's worth itDavid Bowe's 30+ registered hosta cultivars — Bottle Rockets, Cupid's Bow, Beau Brummell, Summer Rainbow and moreHow hosta hybridizers choose which seedlings make the cutRelocating from Ohio to Miami and leaving a hosta garden behindFrom hostas to orchids — applying hybridizing skills in a new climateHumor, creativity, and personality in hosta naming and breedingFollow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. Got questions or a story to share? Email us at [email protected], or find us on Facebook and Instagram at Hosta La Vista Podcast.
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Growing Hostas in Florida:Zone 9-11, Overwintering Tips with Renowned Hybridizer Dr. David Bowe
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