S05 - Session P2 - Assessment of shade tolerance in Korean endemic Hosta species

Authors: Wan Soon Kim *, Min Ji Kim, Haram Yang, Yeong Chan Shin, Hojin Lee, Jeyeon Yeon

As a perennial plant, Hosta is among gardeners one of their favorite plants. Their lush foliage and easy care make them ideal for a low-maintenance garden. Originating from the Orient and brought to Europe in the 1700s, today there are over 2,500 cultivars with such variety in leaf shape, size, and texture. Each of the four Korean endemic Hosta species, H. venusta, H. minor, H. yingeri, and H. jonesii , has adapted to various ecological environments. Their sunlight requirements vary widely. We assessed the shade tolerance of these four endemic Hosta species under different shade conditions of 10 to 50 µmol·m -2 ·s -1 PPFD. The various factors relative to plant growth, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll fluorescence responses showed species-specific differences in shade tolerance by PCA analysis. The shade tolerance of each species was closely related to each habitat environment.