#1 Sweet Innocence
#5 Gold Standard
I think..

4 is SS

1 looks like sunshine glory ...

5 is GS

ken

Here are my best guesses:

(1) Fragrant Bouquet
(2) American Halo
(3) ventricosa Aureomarginata
(4) Sum and Substance
(5) Gold Standard

Steve

I agree with Steve that the first one is Fragrant Bouquet. Sweet Innocence is similar but has a larger margin. I have no idea on number 2. I thought number 3 was montana Aureomarginata. Why do you think it's ventricosa? Steve (Evermore) is correct on 4 and 5.

Steve

Thanks, guys!
#1--As much as I wish this were Sunshine Glory or Sweet Innocence since I don't have those, when I compare to the pics at the hosta library, it does look more like Fragrant Bouquet (bummer, because I just bought that one--again--this year, and it's even in the same flower bed! God Forbid!!). The leaves aren't puckered like the pics of SG and it margin isn't as wide as SI.
#2--Only one guess for this one so far, but if nobody has any other suggestions, I'll tag it American Halo. It does look the same as the pic.
#3--Ventricosa Aureomarginata? I'll trust you on that, because all of the pics on the hosta library look different to me!
#4--Glad to know my guess of Sum & Substance was right. I have 3 of those now, so no need for more!
#5--Bummer again on the Gold Standard, but I guess it's inevitable that I would duplicate since I wasn't keeping labels or a log of any kind. Now that I am, I'll be able to see what I have before I order.

Thanks so much again! If nobody else chimes in, I'll be making those tags.
Karen

Karen,
I would guess #2 as Northern Exposure or Robert Frost
#5 Janet or Fan Dance. I agree on the others...NICE pen BTW!

Denny

Steve in Mass asks why I think #3 is ventricosa rather than montana. I'm going by the vein count. But to be sure, check later in the season for the color of the flowers. You should get purple from ventricosa.

The other Steve (Congrats to the Bruins fans!)

I'm w/ steve...on all but #2...i thought northern exposure too - but it's a toss up

I missed your post, Steve Mass--I will make a note to check the flower color on #3, "other Steve".

Denny, ok--#2 is back on the unknown list. I'll look at the library pics later. Too funny about the pen! I didn't even notice it was the one you sent!! Thanks!

Thanks for your weigh-in too, ademink! We'll let the voters decide, I reckon!
Karen

I think #2 is Northern Exposure as well.

Paul

How about Pizzazz for #2?

I don't know what #2 is, but I'm very sure it's not American Halo. Those leave are much more oval-shaped than mine.
Gayle

Ok, on #2 it's either (3 votes) Northern Exposure or (1 vote) Pizzazz, and I think we've eliminated American Halo.

For #5, it's (3 votes) Gold Standard, or (1 vote each)
Janet or Fan Dance.

The mystery continues....
Thanks everyone!
Karen

I vote Fragrant Boquet for #1 and

Janet for #5 The rest I am not sure enough to venture a guest.

chris

Thanks, Chris! I went out this morning and compared my known Fragrant Bouquet and Gold Standard with these, and as much as I'd like them to be different, I think that's what they are! I guess we'll see if something else major develops, like blooms being different.

Still hoping for a more solid verdict on #2....
Karen

#2 is probably Northern Halo. Northern Exposure's margin is a little wider. Here's the explanation from the Library.

"'Northern Halo' came from both T & Z Nursery and Walters Gardens in the 1980's as a sport of sieboldiana 'Elegans'. It has an unusual story to tell. It comes from a time when everyone was unaware how prolific hostas would someday be in sporting. Several different white-margined sports of 'Elegans' were found at that time and the decision was made when they were still small to release them all as one cultivar. This turned out to be a mistake as they turned out to be quite different when they matured. There is still ongoing debate just how many different plants went around under that name. The most attractive one was separated out and renamed 'Northern Exposure' by Walters Gardens. Van Wade has separated out several other forms as well. This same plant is still in many gardens with the old name 'Northern Halo' together with the other original cultivars."

I also think #2 is Pizzazz.
I think #3 is Axiom not alba marginata....it's too big for that one.
Linda C

My first thought when I saw #2 was Pizzazz. I'm not certain at all what #3 is, but I agree that if it has large purple bell shaped flowers then it could be Ventricosa Aureomarginata, but my first thought was just a wide margined Fortunei Aureomarginata

#1 I agree is Fragrant Bouquet, #4 we all agree is Sum and Substance #5 I agree is Gold Standard doing a lot of sporting.

Chris

Karen, what kind of places were these plants purchased from? That would help us to know if we are looking at more common hosta or unusual. (ie axiom vs alba marginata)

Steve mass tells us what Hosta Library says about Northern Halo. Here is what it ways about American Halo.

"='Northern Halo' (Wade Form).
='Northern Halo - Wade #1'.
Superior plant has extra wide white edge. A blue ribbon, section and division winner in leaf shows.
Large white edge with dark green center. The clump attains a very large size with time. This plant has been distributed under the name "Northern Halo (Wade Form)".
The Alex J. Summers Distinguished Merit Hosta 2002."

I suspect we may be talking about the same thing. It's wonderful that Forum members provide a variety of views.

Steve

I looked in the Hosta library pics, and #2 does look like Northern Halo, but then it also looks like Pizzazz. Ugh! I took a pic of the bloom, but I don't know if this will help or not:
{{gwi:1027185}}
another:

And while I was out there, I took some closer shots of #3:
{{gwi:1027187}}
another:
{{gwi:1027188}}

Does this make it any clearer? As for Axiom, I didn't find that at the hosta library, so I don't know.

Ademink, these were purchased at a small local nursery specializing in "junk"! I don't know where they get their plants, and they generally have better prices than other nurseries, but the downside is it's kind of a shed they sell out of, not high-end at all! I wouldn't think they would carry anything too fancy.

Thanks again Steve, Linda, Chris and Ademink!
Karen

Hey Steve, I was posting pics while you were posting. I agree about the variety of views on this forum. If they look so similar that not even you experts can tell the difference, I might just go out and stick a tag on them and call it a day! Whew! Thanks!!
Karen

Definitely not Pizazz...it has purple/lavender flowers!

that narrows it down..........kinda lol

oh my word...hahahaha...read what the HL says about Pizzazz flowers...read the whole thing:

Blue/green with white margin that varies in width. Heavy texture.
Pale lavender flowers in July.
Medium green with some yellow and white streaking.
White margin, cordate, rugose leavess, 7" x 5".
18" scapes with lavender flowers.
Powdery blue on gold, heart shaped, med. size.
Heart-shaped frosted-blue leaves w/light-cream to white wavy & irregular margins.
Heart-shaped leaves of frosted blue with wide, irregular cream to white margins. Lavender flowers.
The heart-shaped leaves, frosted blue with light cream-to-white irregular margins, make an elegant plant. Masses of white flowers.
Large, heart-shaped blue leaves wiht waxy cream white margins, dense masses of white flowers.

Can you do a vein count on a mature leaf?

NH is 14 veins
NE is 17-19

I like Pizzazz for #2. The leaves seem rounder and a bit smaller than NE or NH. Mine has flowers that are near white. #3 seems to be a Fortunei of some sort. The leaf shape does not seem right for a Ventricosa.

Mark

Yes, #3 is definitely not Ventricosa. I'm now wondering if it is Antioch which starts with a yellow edge that turns pure white later. If it already had white I think more people would have guessed that one.

And there really is no real difference between Northern Exposure and American Halo in my opinion. Both were simply renamed versions of Northern Halo after NH was bastardized in the early tissue culture process.