Software
Houzz Logo Print
kines_gw

Is QOTS blue?

18 years ago

Some might recall my little mini-rant last year about Queen of the Seas. I felt a little misled by the HL photo that depicted a blue plant (which made me jump to buy it at "first season" prices), when in fact it turns out to be green with a little bluish to it early in the season. Some folks answered that theirs are indeed blue, so maybe something's wrong with mine.

Well, I follwed through with my proposed experiment of putting a potted specimen on my front porch in the winter to see it's full blue potential. Below is a photo of the result, a QOTS grown without seeing a single photon of direct light (you can see how it has really "stretched out" looking for light, too). There is a yardstick beside it for scale. To the left is a halcyon for comparison, but it's not really fair, because it comes from the back yard where it has been in full mid day sun. I should have thought to put it there to begin with, but didn't.

Anyhow, the overall result is clear enough: yes, it does have a fair amount of nice blue wax to it, but is truly nowhere near the intense blue depicted in the HL shot. With all due respect to the hybridizer of this plant, and those responsible for getting the photo taken and posted, I still maintain it is strongly photoshopped, and therefore misleading.

And before you answer to me : "relax, it's just a hosta" - yeah, I know, but I still wanted to do this experiment, and since I went to the trouble, I thought I'd share. I think QOTS is a lovely plant, and I'm proud to have two nice specimens of her.
Update: I just checked the HL again before posting, and lo and behold - there's a pair of new photos there, and they are much more realistic. Interesting.

KN.
{{gwi:995477}}

Comments (16)

  • 18 years ago

    I'd say it's on the bluish side.

  • 18 years ago

    I don't know much about photography, but perhaps they used a blue filter to get the early pictures in the HL.

    I bought a pair of single-eyed QOTS's in 2005 after seeing pictures of the blue piecrust leaves also. I, too, was disappointed. They are a nice enough dusty grey-blue in the spring, but the wax must be thin, as it fades away before too long. One grows in shade with some dappled light, so the sun isn't melting the wax. The other gets lots of dappled light, but no hot sun.

    Mine are just now unfurling. This picture was taken yesterday. I wish it stayed like this all summer.

    ~Bunnycat.

  • 18 years ago

    I'm pretty sure Carol would not manipulate any of her photos. It's the lighting. Try taking some pictures in the morning and evening when the lighting is not as harsh. It can make a big difference.

    I understand what you're saying, though. That is a very impressive plant you have!

  • 18 years ago

    I have to repeat that TC plants are divisions and will vary more than we want but not more than we should expect.

    And, photos vary considerably.

  • 18 years ago

    Mine is like Bunnycat's coloring, more of a grey-blue. I know what you mean though, kines. I see lots of photos that appear to have been altered in color, and plant catelogs do it too. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite mail order hosta nursery's catelog ALWAYS looks tinted. I don't like it either.

  • 18 years ago

    Kines,look at my pic of QOTS in the forum. It's probably on page 2 by now,but my pic was not altered. It's a pic of a single leaf. It still looks basically the same,but a lot larger;almost the same size as your porch pic. Phil

  • 18 years ago

    Sorry Kines,it's way down on page 7 already!! Phil

  • 18 years ago

    first.. its the rippling that is the big deal .. especially if you want pollen with that trait ...

    second.. lol ... the yardstick goes to soil level.. not the patio .... 2.5 feet down from the top of the pot... rotflmbo

    ken

  • 18 years ago

    Yeah, I don't think that Ms. Seaver or the Hosta Library would manipulate a pic; but catalogs certainly will.

    And sometimes it's just the lighting, as on a cloudy day or whatever.

    Thanks for this thread. It's not nearly as blue as I thought it was and so now I don't long for it as I used to!

  • 18 years ago

    if you want one of mildreds really blue puckered crinkly plants... deep blue sea ...

    ken

  • 18 years ago

    I would consider it more blue-grey...
    Buff

    QOTS - spring 08

  • 18 years ago

    In defense of the misleading photos on the HL... I would venture a guess that most (if not all) were taken by hosta lovers not professional photographers. The last digi I had was terrible at portraying colors accurately no matter how I fiddled with the settings. Blue hostas were neon blue, yellows were traffic light yellow and any subtlety in the coloring became screaming contrast.

    My new digi is much better, but it willstill distort colors if I take the photos at dawn or dusk. I try to stick to overcast days (sunny days are a disaster too!).

    In any case - it is a gorgeous plant and I hope you are enjoying it despite the color mix-up.

    Alexa

  • 18 years ago

    I saw a lovely QOTS in person yesterday and it is definitely blue. It isn;t the bluest one I've eveer seen, but there was a tiny "drip spot" on one leaf from the tree above and it was green in that spot where the rest of the plant was absolutely positively blue.

    Alexa

  • 18 years ago

    I agree with Alexa. It's blue. It doesn't last long, however. We have had tons of rain here recently and the bloom is coming off mine already, just from the rain. (Which is why overhead watering of "blues" isn't advised)

    Here's a pic of one of mine.

  • 18 years ago

    I posted this before,but here it is again. It isn't as blue as this pic from earlier in the year,but it is still pretty blue. This second year plant is huge now,and threatening to take over the garden. Phil

    {{gwi:968872}}

  • 18 years ago

    Hostarox - the one I saw looks just like yours. A very pretty plant IMHO.

    Alexa

0