This is probably not as large as you would like... But Gold Drop is fantastic is full sun. Mine is full sun all day (and I mean ALL day), and it is the best. I don’t have a recent picture right now, but the Cathedral Windows next to it looks fried, and GD is just a little bleached-out looking, but otherwise looks fantastic. And I love when it blooms!!!! It’s one of my favorites so far! Maybe you could squeeze it in with something else more June-sized. Im in a slightly warmer zone than you , too.

Last Dance, Paradigm, Halycon, Orange Marmalade, Emerald Tiara- and never forget what has turned out to be my favorite of all June Spirit. I have all of these in more sun than that and they thrive.

What you describe as "full sun from 1pm to 4pm" wouldn't stop me from trying anything. I've moved many varieties into full sun and during the first month or so leaves might burn but they adjust and do well thereafter as long as they get sufficient water.

Check out the list of sun tolerant hostas and take a chance.

Added to list above try these whose size is similar to June: June Fever, The Minnesota Mafia (laughs at the sun at my yard), and like Cearbhaill commented, try anything! I'd offer more names of mine that do really well in more sun but some are larger than you specify.

How long did your June grow in the sun, hl_60? Don't forget that growth in sun is slightly different than in more shade. I have two June's growing in predominantly all day sun and while they do not spread as wide as the clumps in more shade, and the petioles are not as long, they are more vigorous, denser clumps. This is a great way to promote vigour in slow-growing hostas or those that just seem to lag. (I do recall that the first year after the move they seemed to be smaller/stunted overall but the following year much fuller.)

Orange Marmalade in my yard fries in the sun as does Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Orange Star does well in the sun. I posted pictures of Orange Star on another topic yesterday. June Spirit and Rainbow's End also do well in my yard. Monty Carlson at Northernair Hostas in Minnesota has some that also do well in the sun. I've also pulled June out of a sunny area in my yard, it does much better in some shade.

Josephine, my June has been in that spot for 3 summers.

I attached a picture - shade June is on the left and sun June (I just moved to this shade location) on the right.

They were bought and planted at the same time way back when. Same size when bought.

Thank you all for the suggestions. My nursery has hosta clearances coming up, I'll see if any of the ones suggested are available!

full sun.. is considered anything over 8 hours .... 4 hours is not full sun ...

what you are asking about.. is hot mid day sun ...

hosta perspire .... give off water.. and the issue in hot mid day sun.. is whether they give off more water in the sun/heat.. than they can process during that time.. leading to leaf damage ...

hosta grown in lots of sun.. actually grow faster.. mature faster.. and get larger faster ... but they also get uglier in mid to late summer ...

just clarifying the words.. so we make sure we discuss the right concepts ...

as to what plants ... what they said above ... plus plantiginea might enjoy the sun ... they are a near REAL full sun plant except for down south .... plus its supremely fragrant ...

ken

Anyone know a June sized hosta that can take my Zone 5b afternoon sun???

Sun tolerance isn't as much a Zone related matter as it is an issue of the angle of incidence of the sun, as well as altitude. The farther North you are the more tolerant hostas will be of full-sun exposure. I'm just north of the 49th parallel, at sea level, and I have a great many hostas in full sun and by full sun I mean sun exposure well in excess of 6 hours a day. The steeper the angle of incidence the more heat is focused on the leaves which will result in melting of the glaucous coating that gives us blue hostas, leaving a kind of blotchy look where parts of the leaves will be green and other parts still blue. If you can put yourself beyond the blotchy appearance the plant will thrive provided you keep it well hydrated. I have a sizable stand of 'Golden Tiara' that sees full sun from about noon to 8PM and it thrives as long as I keep it watered...a nearby 'Empress Wu' however looks a little ratty but I rather suspect I haven't accounted for her being a much thirstier plant, larger leaves, much more transpiration....

Pieter

My guacamole does well with direct morning sun,4 hours about. I am jacob68 but I don't understand why Houzz has dropped my handle.

djacob- I see your ‘handle’ just fine at the top of your post.

Thank you. I saw that after the post. :-)

djacob I have a guacamole in a shaded bed and love it! It is a bit too large to replace my June though.

One gardener's 5b is not like another's. I live in 5b but our Colorado elevation makes the term "full sun" practically obsolete. Maybe "full bleeding hot toasting level sun" is closer. I know that many plants labeled as being able to take full sun just can't do it here. I do keep some hostas in full sun. They look great in the Spring, but by mid-June, they are toast.

Guacamole is large in my yard--mine's 3 feet in diameter--it grows like a weed.

I'm in Texas, so sun tolerance is different. One of my most sun tolerant hostas is Squash Casserole. It has wavy chartreuse gold leaves and purple flowers. It is considered medium to large. It performs well in the Southern U.S. as it was bred by Tony Avent, so it should certainly take full sun in the north.

I don't have a current photo, but this is a young Squash Casserole.

bkay

If you go to the website nhhostas, you can search by sun tolerance, size, etc. It's my go-to site for hostas.

Amalia and Alligator Alley are doing well in a bed that fried Marilyn Monroe and Silk Kimono. I don’t know how big they’ll get.