hosta are ONLY shade tolerant ...

they do very well in full sun ... IF you can keep them properly watered ...

in fact.. if you want a clump to mature faster ... in a less amount of years ... grow it in sun for a few years ... then move it to shade ...

and do keep in mind.. south sun is a different animal from north ... not only higher temps [more water reqd..].. but also stronger sun ...

perfect hosta siting would be sun all day. but maybe indirect sun during the heat of the day ...

only two caveats ...

the blueness is a wax ... and full sun can speed wax removal ... leaving the green below... but then it should have more vigor.. with more sun on the green part ...

and also ... they can get tired.. earlier in the year.. and start getting ratty looking earlier than the same plant in more shade ... but.. again ... they will still be further ahead come next year ...

i dont know about your two above.. but i bet.. if you unpotted them.. the first would have a much bigger root mass .. ergo .... its now a bigger plant ... im not thinking the sun this spring has much to do about it.. since they come up on energy stored last year ...

ken

Thank You both very much, I learned alot about hosta's that I never knew, Have a great weekend !!!!

teach a chick about hosta.. and she will feed herself for life ...ken

i think i might have missed on that old cliche.. lol ...

Those of us who live in Zone 6 or a warmer zone are not about to put our hostas out in all day sun! Best way I know to fry a hosta that there is!

But yes, if for some crazy reason you believe hostas love mid-afternoon sun, be prepared to water -- A LOT!

Kate

Like Ken said it depends on your region of the country. In my zone I have three Hosta that get a lot of sun, not even full sun, but quite a bit of sunlight during the day. They are supposedly sun tolerent hosta, and they have grown bigger and faster than any other hostas that I have. However, even now, by the end of May i notice that they start to get scorched, and by the end of June they will look pretty sun beaten.

The darker the hosta and the thicker the leaves the more shade it can tolerate. The darkness is caused by the amount of chlorophyll. When a hosta is darker or has more 'green' area it has more chlorophyll and needs less light. Hosta with less chlorophyll either in shading or by greater variegation can stand more sun. Also 'sun' is variable by zone and by elevation. Lighter colored leaves are also thinner and can cool more readily by transpiration. Jon