There are some pics of Big Daddy that can stop a heart! Yes, there are! I brought the only BD I have home from the cottage where it never exceeded three leaves...understandably...it was growing in a shallow garden atop stone outcropping! Since then it has grown well enough to split in two to share.

Virtues? Spectacular BLUE spring colour! As it matures it develops these huge, beautiful roundish rugose leaves... Thick leaves ... Gorgeous dark chalky blue colour ... Slugs leave it alone (I think they slink off in fear it will bite back) ... The mound isn't as pretty as some in that the leaves grow every which way but the size, texture and colour overshadow that minor detail, lol IMO. If you like perfectly shaped mounds this one may not be for you....but I've seen some very nice pics where it's not that apparent in more mature plants.

Can't say I " just love it" yet, but i love it enough....I can tell it's trying to lean me in that direction. Another 3 years and I have a feeling I might be rejoicing. It is viridescent but mine still retains enough blue so you know it IS a blue to start off with, especially surrounding it with shades of green and gold.

You know what they say about the "quiet ones" ... People and plants ... This is reputably a slow grower but some sleepers end up surprising us.

I meant to comment also what a beautiful and robust Big Daddy you have! You picked a big one from the get go.

my pic is dated July 11th last year... It remained quite blue throughout. Because it was split after the leaves were already fully opened the remaining shape is not that pleasing...not a good example pic, sorry. Full sun exposure until one-ish, then shade for the rest of the day, zone 5.

1 of my favorites, the leaves on mature plants look they are molded out of plastic, kinda trippy actually. They take a long time to mature. As with most sieboldiana types they do not like being moved. to keep the bloom nice and blue on them it's best not to give them to much direct sun. heres mine (before I moved it) now it doesn't look as good perhaps now in it's third year since he move it will look like this again.

Big Daddy is a nice blue that is cupped and large. However, since it's a Tokudama it's slow to increase, very slow. It's also a short season type of plant, so I don't know how it will like your long Texas growing season. Mine is 3 years old and it's not big yet, but getting there. Here's what a mature one looks like.

Steve

I'm a bit confused, bk. You mentioned that the HL has photos of Big Daddy that do not look that appealing because they are scarred. When I checked the HL, I thought Big Daddy looked great. Loved the first picture and last picture especially. Any chance you were looking up a different hosta?

I have always loved the color on mine and slowly but steadily it's getting bigger. I can't wait until it comes up this year. I am going to have to move some of its smaller neighbors because its going to swallow them this year.

Anyone just love Big Daddy and can tell me it's virtues?

==>>> none... one of the biggest duds in my garden

its not big...

and i dont think its anyones daddy ...

i think i have 3 of them.. same for all

ken

Van Wade is said to like it. Others say it is one of the five best blues.

I do not have it. I'm avoiding too many blues, especially the big ones, because I have to follow the shade moving pots around. I have enough blues already.

But I did spring for a Manhattan last year, and I totally love the pictures posted of it on this forum. Mine is looking good so far this year. I might pair it up with Clear Fork River Valley, another one with perfect composure and gorgeous leaves.

Manhattan (I think I mis spelled it....)

and then Clear Fork River Valley, about the PERFECT hosta!

No, NHL, I am not looking at the wrong entry. I can't say that two photos out of ten indicates a nice looking hosta. Even Bevie's photo shows uglies in the background.

Now I'm confused. I haven't looked very far into it's background, but the registrar says it's a Fortunei sport. Steve says Tokudama and Jimr66 says it's sieboldiana. Fortunei does well here.

I read about how blue this hosta is on myhosta.be. Mine is as green as a gourd. It hasn't had time to lose the blue coloring. It just came up. So, I set it next to Blue Angel. It's a pretty similar color, but definitely not blue. If you look at exactly the right angle, you can see the blue. Could it be the angle of the sun that makes them look so blue in Minnesota and so green in Texas?

bk.

Zillis has a couple of comments on the 'Big Daddy' registration info on this link. Very likely Jim and Steve are both correct; It seems to have both plants in it's origin.

This is yet another plant that Aden stole out of Florence Shaw's garden, so go figure. One thing seems to be certain...It's not a 'Fortunei'. Congratulations to Hallson Gardens for recognizing who REALLY created this cultivar, as they have properly given credit to Florence Shaw in their catalog.

Don B.

EDIT: Sorry, TWO things...Ken hates it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plants Galore 'Big Daddy' page

This post was edited by Don_in_Colorado on Tue, Apr 8, 14 at 22:48

Don, just recently I discovered that the Plantsgalore.com guy has some eBooks available for purchase. I got my first one on HOSTA from Amazon, then thought something looked familiar about it, hmmmmm, and sure enough, it was by HIM.

He also lists more than one already available, and then there is a new one in the works about landscaping, and you can find them all on his main website. He has a difdferent organization than Zilis does, or the Grenfell books. Of course, there is some electronic editing problems but not enough to keep an interested person from persisting in the reading of his eBook.

Just thought I'd throw this in. I like eBooks myself, sure saves a lot of space in the house, and I can find a book on my reader quickly. Not as good as holding a volume in hand, but the tradeoff is not bad.

My h. 'Big Daddy' is a steady performer, but was a slow grower over its more than 10 years. Since leaves are cupped it will collect anything falling from trees above. So before taking a picture I should clean its leaves when I remember.

Oh, well. It's mine now. If it doesn't do well for me this year, I'll offer it up to anyone who wants it this fall.

bk

My Big Daddy has always been Little Daddy! I'm with Ken. It has never grown well,even though I moved it to a better location. I have many sieboldiana blues that are far superior,and always grow well. As for getting Niagara Falls and QOTS mixed up,there is no comparison,unless you think about the rippled edges. Phil

BK, I am avoiding any more tokudama or slow growers or late emergers. If you are looking for a list of good cultivars and species for our longer growing season, then visit Plant Delights Nursery website and look for Tony Avent's discussion of good hosta for warmer climates. I will try to find a direct link to it, but have not had much luck placing it in my bookmarks.

Go to the Home page. Across the top area find "LEARN"....choose "PERENNIAL PLANT ARTICLES"....find 3 or 4 of them about HOSTA....including
Hosta Hosta Hosta
Hosta Breeders And Other Strangers
Hosta For Warm Climates
Hosta With Fragrant Flowers

The link below should get you to the Perennial Plant Articles page, I hope.

Here is a link that might be useful: PDN Hosta Articles

I still think a montana Aureomarginata is a hosta worth experimenting with for warmer climates. The fact that it's quite beautiful is just a bonus.

Don B.

I've read some of those articles, Mocc. No doubt he's a good hybridizer. Hardly anyone likes to deal with his mail order department, though. I've heard very little positive about that in the years I've been hanging out here.

bk

I read that someone was sick in his family. Since most of these nurseries are 1 or 2-person shops, mail order departments would get slowed down unfortunately.

I just got Zilis`new book Field Guide to Hostas. The following are some comments that he makes in the book regarding Big Daddy. (Not sure whether you have his book or not.)

``The description in registration does not match the H. sieboldiana plant in commerce.``
and
```Big Daddy` ranks among the top large blue-leaved cultivars for its color intensity and thick substance. Its leaves tend to cup more than other Sieboldianas, especially in contrast to `Big Mamma`, to which it is often compared. . . It has a slow growth rate, so extra water and fertilizer are needed after planting.``

DonB, I believe that Tony Avent suggests the montana hosta as a good choice for warmer climates because it emerges early like the plantaginea family does. I am too rushed this morning to verify that, but you can read what he says about hosta for warmer climates on his nursery pages under Learning or something like that.

Bernd, in your post above, about "someone sick in the family," to whom are you referring? PDN's Tony Avent lost his wife a couple of years ago now, and recently (within the last year) remarried. I do not know of any other family member but his operation is not a small one. Quite the contrary. I had great service from them for years, but that was with my subtropicals and native plants for southern gardens, not the hosta. Then my very first hosta order was totally mixed up and it took a long time for me to forgive them for THAT. I guess it was hard to tell one dormant pot from another? Or one order from another? But I was tempted by the fine hosta they had which he originated and placed another order which was recently delivered correct varieties and in great shape. So I'm guessing they got their shipping department under control again.

Hi Bk, Newbie here,

I've had this couple of Big Daddies for over 10 years. They get a lot of morning sun, seem to be thriving. I love them, think they're really beautiful. I'm in Zone 5.

Here's a photo with a mystery dark green one in the foreground.

This post was edited by altheatime on Sat, Jun 28, 14 at 15:43

Big Daddy is slow growing but worth the wait. Mine is 7 years old. I had divided off a multiple eye section a few weeks ago, so it was bigger than this (photos taken this morning).

Mine does not get any sun at all. It's up against the north side of my house, and no trees overhead, so it stays nice and blue all summer.

Wendy

Close-up:

When I planted Big Daddy seven years ago, I had envisioned it totally filling out this little nook. Well, not so much...so sloooooooooow. But in its defense, it's in total shade, on a slope, and at the base of some trees. That said, it's looking pretty presentable this year,with nice cupping and great color as usual, if not what I would call "big"..So it's medium daddy for now, and I still like it.

Mine has been much nicer than I expected. I've always thought cupped hosta would be a pain under pecan trees. It's not any worse than any other. Another plus, mine was big when I bought it, so it doesn't matter how slow it is.

It's blue is pretty spotty by this time, though. It's been raining for several days, so even Halcyon is losing it's blue. That's the way it is in Texas, though. The blue doesn't hold all season.

It looks pretty ratty right now. With all the rain, it's little cups are holding dirt. Also, the seed pods haven't lost the flower dregs. In a week or two, it will look better.

bk

Posted this somewhere else, but pretty sure this one of mine is a Big Daddy after looking at all the pics. Pop can on a leaf for size. This one gets a good amount of sun. I found it to be a fast grower--although not as fast as other blues.

Nice plant, Tony.

bk

My Big Daddy is still quite small and a slow grower. This is the first year it's added an eye! To be fair, it did complete with pine tree roots until I removed the tree last year. Here was mine back in May:

And here is a beautiful (though still not overly large) specimen I saw at Cedar Hedge Garden a couple years ago:

Big Daddy has been a good grower for me. Pic taken earlier this month.