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Favorite Big Blue Hosta

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to this forum and I would like your input. I am going to a hosta sale at Rocky Mountain Hosta Company this weekend and I am specifically looking for a large fast growing blue hosta. I would like something about the size of Sum and Substance with really large leaves. Any suggestions of what to look for? What are your favorites?

I have grown a few hostas for years and just by chance looked at this forum (I am usually on the dahlia forum) and after looking at all your wonderful pictures I decided it is time to add a few more hostas to my yard!

Thanks

Linda :)

Comments (16)

  • 14 years ago

    I don't have a Blue Mammoth, but wish I did !

    Its sounds like one you might be interested in.

    I am a fan of the Abiqua Drinking Gourd, it doesn't get HUGE like some other blues though.

  • 14 years ago

    I have a Blue Angel that I split in two when I bought it and just 2 yrs later both plants are nice and large. I recommend it highly!

  • 14 years ago

    As a whole,blue hostas don't grow fast,they take years,but a sorta blue I like is Queen-of-the-Seas. Phil

  • 14 years ago

    Blue Angel is my biggest blue. I have several. This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago. Since then, it engulfed Liberty....so I cut off some of the leaves to save Liberty. It's about 8 feet across now and they are all crowded together...Looks like a twenty foot long hosta!

    {{gwi:1003028}}

  • 14 years ago

    We have so many to choose from that it's difficult. I've threatened to plant an entire bed of 'blues' in a lot of sun to prove a point, but that's another whole article I want to write.

    Here's a few that struck me this evening:

    {{gwi:954450}}
    H. 'Blue Angel' (the big one).

    {{gwi:1003030}}
    H. 'Blue Whale' (one we're developing)

    {{gwi:1003032}}
    seriously deep blue H. 'Blue Vision'

    {{gwi:1003034}}
    H. 'Ballroom Bubbles': One my wife registered!

  • 14 years ago

    I also recommend 'Blue Angel'. Nice big leaves on this one!
    Mine was purchased in July 2009, so it's still a babe.

    Wendy

  • 14 years ago

    Wow, thanks everyone, the pictures are awesome! I can't wait till Friday to go and see what they have. Supposedly they have 140 different varities at the sale. I am sure I will end up with more than one! Maybe a couple of different blues will come home with me! And I like that Liberty too!

    Linda

  • 14 years ago

    Wow this is the first time I've seen/heard of the blue vision and can I just say wow ! That is one beautiful blue hosta, amazing. I would love to have a blue hosta but I understand that they need plenty of shade to keep their color.

  • 14 years ago

    Blues, in all hostas are a wax coating. Hostahillbillie in his zone 5 can plant many hostas in "sunny" locations, including blues in his geographically shaded location.

    You could have a blue hosta survive in sun in your zone 7 with lots and lots of water; however it would not be blue as the wax that gives the blue color will melt. You will not get satisfactoy results without shade in Z7.

    Jon

  • 14 years ago

    I like big blues. I have Elegans for 15 years, they gave many seedlings. I like Blue Umbrellas, which is vase shape and big. I have a 4 year old Blue Mammoth, which probably need another 5 years to be really big. I have 3 Krossa Regals which look big and light blue right now. Big Daddy is more than 10 years old, only recently got big. Blue Hawai is to be big too, mine is young. And don't forget Queen of the Seas with piecrust.

    Sorry, no pictures, I forgot my password to photobucket, then they messed me up. Latest is they wanted my webmodem id, but mine has 5 id stickers.
    Bernd

  • 14 years ago

    Bernd,

    I hope my Elegans is a suitable substitute for yours that is locked in cyberspace.

    This one is also about 15 years old. I have divisions in 3 other locations in my yard and have spawned clones with 2 of my neighbors.

    Jon

  • 14 years ago

    Hostahillbilly,

    Can you tell us more about Blue Vision? Hosta Library tells us that it was developed in 1976 by Paul Aden and there are marvelous photos there by Bevie Schmidt. I'm guessing that you have a connection, but pardon me if I am mistaken.

    Steve

  • 14 years ago

    I say, Blue Vision makes me like the color blue. However, I will stick with my 2nd year Blue Angel now that I know it does not have HVX. And, I will encourage the baby Queen of the Seas to get a move on too.

    Due to my zonally challenged location, I cannot realistically expect a blue hosta to stay that way very long, even observing all the cautions from Cryptic Ken. But, when I need a blue fix, I will look at the Blue Vision photo. Inspirational.

  • 14 years ago

    Here is probably a Blue Umbrellas.
    Bernd

  • 14 years ago

    Wow! So many nice choices, I will have to get more than one. I live in northern Utah, zone 6. Should I plant the blue ones in full shade or would it be ok if they get a little morning sun? I currently have about 20 hostas but none of them are blue. They all get either morning sun or later in the evening sun. I do have a spot that only gets a little dappled sun in the morning. Would that be a good spot?

    Linda

  • 14 years ago

    Steve,

    Bevie Schmidt is my wife. She's the real 'hostaholic' here, I'm merely the 'support staff'.

    Original poster,

    There are many, many small and medium blues to satisfy yor 'blue' desires. The monsters are way cool once you get there, but some of the smaller ones are really strong in the blueness!

    hh