Beautiful example.
I like them both but the one on the left shows off the streaking better like Striptease.

Since my hostas last year were forced to be sun most of the day. Due to a 100 plus old borrowed shade tree that was cut down I have found great differences in color from years past. Actually most of mine in my zone have taken on a healthier appearance. And have supersized and benefited from it.

Shade is still usefull and necessary for blues and varigated blues.
In my front yard, 3/4 day shade, is a Gold Standard. It's been there for 5 years. I will tell you it is an interesting color, very deep green varigation, and I like it. The original is in more sun and takes on the typical look but the one in the deep shade is striking.

It will interesting to see these two next year.

Excellent post. Thanks for sharing. The coloration is exactly what I would expect, but I wonder if the difference in leaf size is due to sun (vs. water, soil, or other factor)?

As I posted earlier, I am going to grow my potted Queen of the Seas in complete shade next spring. Your post has given me the idea of putting it on the porch now, and taking a photo of it, so that it will be in the exact same setting for the before and after shots. Thanks! KN.

Hostas in the sun not, for the hot Indiana summer sun. At least that is in my experience. I have a very large unnamed(at least not to my knowledge) and it browns along the leaf edges in the sun. Of course that may be because I don't water it enough. I plan to divide it next spring and put it in the shade and also some of it in pots. BTW is it better to divide hostas in spring or fall?
All my other hostas are in full or almost full shade.

One of the things,I was trying to illustrate,is how hostas grown in more sun have more leaves,but smaller ones. Hostas grown in more shade have fewer leaves,but larger ones. The newest hosta was not grown in full sun,but under a hut with shade cloth on it. Notice how much lighter,and the centers are near white. Hostas grow faster in more sun,but may get crispy in too much sun. Ken has said this many times,and this just proves the point. I think the best time to divide hostas is spring,when there are few leaves to get in the way, but they can be divided any time,with fall being the next best time. This is just my opinion,of course. Next year,both of these hostas should look nearly alike,being in the same location,which is woodland shade. Phil

BTW is it better to divide hostas in spring or fall?

The best time is when ever you want to as long as you water, water, water.

In hot weather they will be in more danger from heat but I've never lost one to dividing time in hot weather that I know of.

I like to divide and pot, winter over and plant the next year. This gives me a better change to control water.

esther, if I divide and pot and winter over will they freeze outdoors with roots above ground? That sounds like a great idea for getting a head start on spring and like you say controlling water. What zone are you in?
VB

Hostas in post are not a good thing if there is a danger of temps in the 25 below range. Even in the garage they are in danger of dying....or getting eaten by a critter.
I want my hosta in the ground by labor day.
For several years in my very early hosta years, I happily had hostas in pots on the patio that looked wonderful....well one year we had really cold weather and they died....
Linda C

Generally one can say by looking at leaf which plant will tolerate/ love shade. Perennials with bigger flat surface leaf will like shade, plants with small, fuzzy, grey leaves will be sun loving. I guess it is the same for hostas- interesting that even leaf shape is changed due to sun exposure.

In my case I water alot. My plants have to be well hydrated to exist in the sun. There are other plants & shrubs that give some relief of shade but that is short.

In another area my drip irrigation system doesn't reach a few (that's in an area that no one sees and is a toss all for extra stuff) those plants do show stress and crispy leaves. So like Ken says, water, water water! It's proven a plant saver in IL.

Great post ! Very informative for us newbis. Keep-um coming guys , this may be boring for the experienced hosta folk but I for one , am soaking all this "need to know" stuff-up. Thanks to this forum & everyones tips & thoughts the newer hosta growers will be more successful. 1 great full 2nd yr hosta gal~Dot

Hostas in post are not a good thing if there is a danger of temps in the 25 below range.
Lindac

Are you saying 25 below zero or 25 degrees F?

esther, if I divide and pot and winter over will they freeze outdoors with roots above ground? That sounds like a great idea for getting a head start on spring and like you say controlling water. What zone are you in?
VB

I'm in zn 5 but this can be done in MN.

Hosta are very hardy and will live outdoors in very harsh conditions. There is danger of what is called the freeze/thaw cycle which is not cold but ice that destroys the roots where they connect to the crown. The secret is not allowing water or snow to sit in the pot.

There will be many post this fall and winter about overwintering potted hosta and it can be done easily.

I don't always pot and overwinter but that is my preference for new plants.

This post has gone crazy! I do want to say.....Phil, you are correct......Hostas grown in partial shade will look better than their counterparts that were grown in more sun, but it really doesn't do any good to do a comparison unless you use 2 or 3 growing seasons to prove a point. Those 2 will look different next year, guaranteed. Don't forget to water....

The best time to divide Hostas is in mid- or- late spring, when they are easier to deal with, plus the plant you are dividing doesn't have active root growth going on, yet.

EO....25 below zero. I expect I could winter hostas in pots if I laid them on their sides and covered with about 3 feet of leaves....but I think it's a lot easier to plant them in the ground and hope the critters leave them alone.
Linda C

Hostarox,yes I know they will look different next year,but they should look more like each other,being grown in the same relative place. One thing I've noticed about hostas is that they never look exactly the same,year after year! That's why we love them. Always a surprise! The new one was a bargain,at only $7.95 for a huge plant. I originally bought the first one last year,because the name tag in the pot said Sun Power! Well,the people at the nursery didn't know the difference,even though I tried to explain it to them! Obviously, it isn't Sun Power! This was their last one,and I wanted another one. Phil