Hosta Dancing Stars Leaf Coloration and Thermal Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hosta cultivars lack unique leaf coloration and temperature resistance, with most having whitish leaf centers and green to bluish-green margins, and limited disease resistance and growth characteristics.

Innovation Solution

Hosta 'Dancing Stars' exhibits glaucous leaves on both surfaces with blue-green margins and light yellow centers that turn dark green, thick leaves resistant to melting, and produces light lavender flowers on upright cream-colored scapes, distinguished from its parent and similar cultivars through specific propagation by tissue culture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If hosta cultivars have whitish leaf centers and green to bluish-green margins, then they exhibit typical hosta appearance, but they lack unique leaf coloration and temperature resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleaf coloration uniquenessVSAvoidtemperature resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating distinct color zones within the leaf structure - the margin region contains blue-green pigmentation while the center region contains yellow-white pigmentation. This spatial differentiation of color properties gives the plant unique visual characteristics while the thick leaf substance provides thermal mass for temperature resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The leaf structure functions as a composite material system where different pigmented tissues (blue-green margin tissue and yellow-white center tissue) are combined in a specific spatial arrangement. The thick leaf substance acts as a structural component that provides thermal resistance, combining aesthetic function with environmental stress resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If hosta leaves have thin substance, then they show more color variation, but they are susceptible to melting out in high temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor variationVSAvoidmelting out resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The thick leaf substance acts as a pre-established thermal buffer that protects the pigmented tissues from high temperature damage before the harmful effect can occur. This cushioning effect prevents the 'melting out' phenomenon while allowing the color variation between margin and center regions to be expressed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Stability of the object's composition

If hosta cultivars are propagated by traditional methods, then they maintain genetic stability, but they lack the unique combined traits of glaucous leaves and temperature resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegenetic stabilityVSAvoidunique trait expression

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses tissue culture propagation to create identical genetic copies of the selected plant that exhibits unique traits (glaucous leaves, blue-green margins, yellow-white centers, thick substance). This copying method maintains genetic stability while ensuring the unique combined traits are reproduced consistently across generations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUSPP22611P2Hosta plant named Dancing Stars

Publication Date: 2012.03.27 WALTERS GARDEN INC

AI summary

A new and distinct cultivar of Hosta plant named ‘Dancing Stars’, characterized by thick substance leaves having creamy yellow to creamy white centers and a deep green margins, with lavender flowers held nicely above foliage on upright cream-colored scapes.