Well, if it had the other half...

The first thing to check if you feel it is growing too slow is the planting depth. The crown should be at or a hair above the soil level. Second thing would be thick roots from near-by trees or shrubs.

tj

This one should be a fast grower once established.

I think tj is correct - It appears to be planted too deeply so raise it up and then water water water.

Hostas are like many perennials. You plant them then they "sleep the first year, creep the second year then LEAP the third year". Patience is required. But as others have noted, be sure to check the planting depth.

-Babka

Thank you everyone! I will check the planting depth :)

it grows like a weed .. AFTER IT GROWS THE ROOTS IT NEEDS .. which can taek one to 5 to 7 years [for giants]

even on this weed... i wouldnt expect much the first year ... next year.. watch out ...

what they said about depth ....

looks like its on the edge of pavement ... the retained heat at night.. may be problematic .. in how pretty this thing is in late summer or fall ...

seems shape is off for GT ... maybe i will walk by mine and compare ... it should be more rounder ... more heart shaped ... but that could be the maturity we are talking about ...

and the edge should be much more yellow ... but that might be a sun/stress thing ...

ken

I would lift the plant and check the roots to see if root bound, which may explain its growth habit. Should grow fast once established.

Agree with Ken on the shape and coloration. However, two of my GT were partially eaten off by rabbits early this year and came back almost like yours. They never filled out and leaves are somewhat smaller. Last year this circle was evenly full all around. You can see the two that were eaten.

The leaf shape distortion Ken mentioned is a problem from this website when you take your pictures in portrait mode. I had same problem and discovered that landscape mode works fine, fwiw.

Update!! I dug the hosta up and repositioned him out of afternoon sun and also kept the crowns exposed.

Here he is today! Nice gold margins (not white) and new growth. Thank you all so much!!! Also, he'd be bigger, but the rabbits gave him a haircut.

Edited to add: the roots looked healthy, so I think he was just too deep.

bazinga .... ken

UPDATE! After moving my Golden Tiara, it still didn't take off growth wise the way I'd hoped, so Fall 2017, I chopped it up into 3 random chunks and stuck then in a spot with filtered shade....happy to say smacking them around did the trick. Each clump has multiple eyes!