These must be delicious, the slugs love them

Could that be Abiqua Drinking Gourd and Fire and Ice? My ADG is new so not too familiar with it quite yet as a mature looking hosta.

Hey Josephine, looks like adg except I looked it up and found white flowers, mine are lavender.

Maybe it is Deep Blue Sea rather than ADG...the line in the centre of the leaf reminds me of other photos I have seen and the colour of the flowers in the picture looks like the 4th pic on the Hosta Library...

Just to learn more I also checked the Library on DBS - it is such a great hosta. I love to guess at these...it's how I learn to recognize hostas I DON'T have - yet. Lol. Those that have will ID with surety. :-)

Judging by the pictures on the Hosta Library that sure looks like Deep Blue Sea. What a beauty! I'm sure glad now that I bought DBS last year. The flowers on mine aren't quite that pink but that might just be because of location and immaturity. Connie May, good for you on the ID.

I agree with Jo on Fire and Ice. I have two, one of which looks like yours. Jo's is gorgeous.

For the second, take a look at Loyalist in HL.

Steve

This is where I get a little frustrated/overwhelmed with trying to ID my hostas. With so many varieties, so many are so similar I don't feel like I can positively ID many of my hosta. What the heck is the difference between fire and ice and loyalist!!??

LOL, there are differences between Fire and Ice and Loyalist, mainly the centers are a different white. Fire and Ice also seems thicker and more twisty in my garden, whereas Loyalist only emerges kind of twisty. Just don't ask about Loyalist and Patriot. Still haven't figure that out.

Here, try this comparison link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Compare Hosta Library Pics

Well, novice, did you find a difference? Truth be known, I already compared them before I submitted my guess....and I stuck with my decision...knowing I could be wrong. Unless one can see the plants face to face, these two are not easy to distinguish from one another. I also think F&I has darker green and wider margin. If enough come up with a consensus, you've got your answer. :-)

There are far too many look-a-likes on the market IMO. That is one of the reasons that, as much as I may like a certain hosta, if I already have something similar I won't get the other. I understand your frustration. (I also try not to guess unless I'm pretty certain).

I just thought of something... as a supplement to the forum, your local Library might have a hosta encyclopedia you can sign out...and browse through once munchkin is in bed. :-). By constantly leafing through mine, I memorize more and learn about their specific growing habits and traits. Just a thought.

Jo

I am questioning Fire and Ice only because of all the slug damage. I have some slug holes on mine but not too many. . Apparently F&I is a tetraploid (Instead of having 2 sets of chromosomes, tetraploids have 4 sets).and that is all I understand about that but this means they have thicker leaves so would seem to be less appealing to slugs.

I totally get your frustration with IDing your hosta. I am still trying to figure mine out and a couple of years later will realize I had it wrong. If yours is an older garden you stand a better chance as the number of new cultivars has exploded in more recent years, making it all that much harder to get it right.

I would see if there is a local hosta society or at least Horticulture Society in your area and join if you have not already done so. Sometimes other members will help you out with the IDing. And you may get invited to their garden and see something that look exactly like one you have. My Hort. Society has a bus tour each spring and we visit garden centers and tour private gardens and both these activities have helped me in identifying my hosta.

Don't get discouraged, it really is a fun adventure and it is very gratifying making a positive ID.
Barb

I also agreed with Jo about books. I coughed up the big bucks for the Hostapedia and I use it all the time in helping with IDing.

Here is my Fire and Ice. It seems to have more yellow tones than your picture.

Barb

This post was edited by Hostas_for_Barb on Fri, Aug 8, 14 at 15:34

I printed off this list and find that many hostas posted here and in friend's gardens are all included on this list of favourites as voted in 2012 on this forum.
Print if off and get to know these and I think you may find quite a few of them in your own collection. It is just 109 so not so intimidating.

http://clippings.gardenweb.com/clippings/irawon?sort_col=post_title

If you can't find your hosta on that list you might find these lists helpful:

http://www.hostalists.org/index.php

Last year slugs chewed holes in my F&I - itlooks like they enjoyed it very much..being thicker of leaf, they had more to chew! Lol. It was also planted in a shadier area where slugs can hide.

Here is how it looks as of July 29th....last pic taken. Still pristine and in a pot awaiting permanent home. Love how it looks - and I am amazed how white it is.

Barb, it did emerge yellow like yours but I have it in sun from sun-up to about 1:30 in the afternoon. It loves that exposure I am happy to say.

Barb, it retained more yellow in the shade but I want it good and strong (white centred hostas have a bad rap with melt-out) so I give it more sun. I think it is THE best performing white centred in my garden.

Wow, what a fantastic specimen of Deep Blue Sea!

Methinks you won't be a novice for long...

Don B.

Jo that is one beautiful Fire and Ice. Glad to hear it also does well in so much sun. Mine is in open shade but I'm quite happy with its performance as I have seen it on a hard to grow list and some places don't carry it for that reason.

Great tips everyone! The hosta comparisons site will be very helpful as well as studying the top 100 as I have already discovered I have most of them in my garden. And the hostapedia is on my wish list. Still not sure if I have F&I or Loyalist but leaning towards Loyalist. I've realized I can't try to get a positive ID on all these immediately so I just have to relax and enjoy the ride!