The new Hostapedia book lists and describes 7,400 varieties.
Check out the photos at the hosta library also
http://hostalibrary.org/a/a.html

Oh and save this post and see what you think next year. :)

Pam

holy batman 7,400 varieties!!

I guess that really makes me question whether some of you Hosta lovers have not stepped back from a freshly planted- brand new-much sought after Hosta and had the thought: "wow. That X Hosta looks just like Y Hosta. What is the difference that it warranted a whole new name?"

Maybe Hosta are like Roses. I know there are hundreds of types out there, but unless there are major differences, they look pretty similar to me.
And yes, I learn more about the plants all the time. I'm sure my eye for Hosta will get more discriminating as time goes by.

Hi Gamecock,

No problem asking a lot of questions...that's what this forum is here for. Welcome!

To answer your question, "Are hostas all that different," I'd say yes and no. Given all of the variables including the ones you've listed, hostas can be VERY DIFFERENT! Size, color, form, texture, leaf shape, flower are just some of the factors that affect their appearance. I'd recommend touring a well-established hosta garden, if possible. One of the best is Wade and Gatton Nursery in Ohio. There you will see several thousand cultivars firsthand and notice the remarkable wide range of hostas.

Out of many thousand cultivars however, some are virtually identical and may be distinguished from each another only upon very close examination. So if you're looking for variety, don't shop for the ones that look like those you already have.

All of the hostas you currently have been around for several years and are very popular. Of the five, four of them are somewhat similar (medium size, green center with a white margin). Undulata is a little different than the other four- a medium size hosta that has a white center with a green margin. There are many more options that will grow in your area, although most will probably get larger in the northern U.S.

If you want to see photos on-line, visit the Hosta Library.

The big box stores generally carry whatever is cheap and what their purchasing agent thinks will sell. I suppose they're somewhat likely to carry the same cultivars because they may be purchasing from the same large wholesalers.

As far as pricing and availability, there are several factors that affect this. A low price may indicate a common or older variety, a smaller plant, a tissue culture plant, or an abundance in the supplier's inventory. A higher price may indicate a large plant with more than one eye, a slow-growing cultivar, a new introduction, a cultivar that cannot be produced by tissue culture, a container shipped plant, or a plant that currently is in high demand. Rare, hard-to-find cultivars may be limited to the individual that originated the plant, and those which cannot be tissue-cultured.

Hope this helps to answer some of your questions.

Thank you, that does help my questions.

I have a better understanding of what determines popular, common, and hard to find varieties.

And I now realize I DO keep gravitating towards the same type of Hosta! No wonder I wonder about Hosta differences! I need to get some variety in there!

And thank you for acknowledging that sometimes it does take a very well trained eye to notice differences between some varieties.

I will pray to the Hosta gods tonight, and ask for a better understanding of this new world I am getting sucked into. :)

Yes, you definitely seem to like the same type :) Linked below are some shots of different hosta gardens I've had. Not anything great, but the pics will show you how different they are.

If I may, I'd like to recommend some real standouts that have become my favorites. None are rare, all are gorgeous:

Sagae
Krossa Regal
Great Expectations (some people don't have luck with this one, but mine got huge.)
Sun Power
June
Blue Angel
Liberty
Halcyon
Green Piecrust or Jimmy Crack Corn

You can look them up on the Hosta Library or just use Google Image Search

Enjoy your addiction.

Here is a link that might be useful: clicky

Thank you for the pics! I like how yours are clumped together. You have different colors next to each other, but the color pattern is kind of repeating. Maybe I should put several different Hosta in the same bed!

I like your twilight, Alex Summers and liberty plants. I might create a short list of ones I like...oh man. I am about to go down a very expensive road...

I'll give you a few years, and by then your eye will see the differences! And to think my addiction started 8 years ago when I innocently bought 3 Golden Tiaras...now I actually keep a journal of how many eyes each hosta has each spring, where I bought it, and when I planted it.

A couple years ago, I didn't think minis were too interesting. Now I'm busy planning which minis go together in which pots, and what plants will look good with them...and it's great because I don't have to figure out where they're going to fit in the garden!

Deanna

weed30, she also needs Blue Mouse Ears - that has to be the cutest hosta ever cultivated!

And Thunderbolt is high on my list of favorites, so it's a must have.

Deanna

Oh, I have MANY more favorites, but as one of the local pushers, I like to get people addicted slowly ;)

Gamecock, It's even more serious than just collecting hostas....a lot of us are in hosta societies and go to meetings and conventions and sit for hours listening to folks talk about them!
In case you are interested and close enough....the Dixie Regional Convention will be held on June 5 and 6 in Marietta, GA...lots of good talks from big wigs in the "Hosta World" and vendors with beautiful plants....look it up at www.dixiehosta.com
Hope ya'll have gotten good rain like we have here in Mississippi....the hostas love it!
Gloria

Gamecock, welcome to the whacky world of Hostaholics. When it comes to differentiating between various cultivars the devil's in the details. You'll see occasional reference to the so-called 10-foot rule. A Hosta is said to be able to pass that rule if you can tell it apart from others at a 10 ft viewing distance and there are plenty of examples of Hosta that cannot pass that rule, like trying to tell the difference between Patriot and Minuteman at that distance. As with anything new, you will have a fairly steep learning curve ahead of you with respect to noticing details. It isn't just the colour or pattern of the leaves, but what do the backs of the leaves look like, are they dull, glossy, whitish or what is the colour of the petiole, what's the thickness of the leaves like. Pay attention to those details and you'll be able to quickly tell the difference between Fortunei Albomarginata and Undulata Albomarginata, but not necessarily at 10 ft.

there is a GA hosta club [presumption based on your name] .. you ought to join.. just for the summer garden tours .... and really see some cool gardens ...

pix are great and all .. but you really cant see scale and a lot of other variables by sitting in a darkened room in front of a monitor ....

i can link you up if you are interested ...

you said: Or am I going to instantly be able to identify a Hosta in someones garden, and know that plants name?

its called the 10 FOOT RULE ... a hosta is truly unique.. if you ID it by name.. from 10 feet away ... and it is a sound basis for a new collector to start ... there might be a FAQ about it ...

ken

"Which Hostas are good for beginners?"

"What is the 10 Foot Rule?"

"What is the 10 ft. Rule?"

"The 10 foot rule..."

Gamecock, Welcome! Don't forget to search online to buy hosta. There are many places that enable you. You can even see a list of vendors in the hosta Library. Of course we here will help you find places to buy from. Many of us label our hosta's to keep tract of what we bought, and make maps of where they are in our gardens. This may help you in the future. Mary

Thank you all!
I did look through the library last night and decided I will add some variety into my Hosta beds. I will take my time looking online for just the Hosta that I like and then order it. I don't think my previous plan of going to Home depot and choosing the one from their 5 varieties will work for me anymore. I want to be more discriminating.

When is the best time of year to order Hosta online? I know they arrive bare root and I assume I can handle getting them into the ground.

I like the 10 ft rule! I like that there is a 'rule' to make sure you can determine differences, and this whole 7400 variety thing is not a scam to get collectors to keep collecting.

I am not ready to join a club yet. I'm not that addicted yet. I consider this forum my club for now.

And I quote, " I'm not that addicted yet. I consider this forum my club for now." Bwahahaha.... just you wait. I had just about a dozen last spring, I lost count this past fall. I am not addicted yet either...

Hilltop Farm ships in pots, and I can vouch for the size and quality of their plants. Very nice! And the prices include shipping. Here's their website:

http://www.hilltop-gardens.com/mailorder.html

Made in the Shade Gardens is local in my area, but they also ship mail order. They have a huge selection which includes some harder to find varieties. I haven't bought from them yet because I just found out about them recently, but they have an excellent rating on Garden Watchdog. Here's their website:

http://www.hostaguy.com/index.html

White Oak Nursery ships bareroot, and I can also vouch for the quality of their plants, and they come with very large root systems. They're sold out of several things this year, but there's always next year! You have to order early from them to make sure you get what you want.

Deanna

Here is a link that might be useful: White Oak Nursery