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frankielynnsie

What is your favorite Very Large Hosta?

6 years ago

What I could find searching Garden web was from 2007 and a lot has changed in the Hosta world since then. I spoke with my hosta nursery person and she will pull the ones I want from the online list and I can go pay and p/u or just go and browse and stay away from everyone. So far they are still open. I want to go big this year.

Comments (31)

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    So many great ones it is hard to choose a favorite but every one should have a Blue Angel and I adore my Winter Snow. Here is a link to this years Alphabet Giants

    Also here is Don Rawson's list of Very large

  • 6 years ago

    I agree with peren..I love Blue Angel too..and I love Krossa Regal, Elegans and Empress Wu..

  • 6 years ago

    I have seen some exceptional examples of Blue Angel, Climax, Brutus, Jade Cascade, Powder Blue, Viking Ship, Key West, Sum and Substance, Big Daddy, and Winter Snow.

    I think I would have to tag Winter Snow as my favorite, for it's looking good all season, and that extra pizzazz of the ripply white edge.

    In my garden, I think Moonlight Sonata gets my choice, with Komodo Dragon a close second.

    No offense to those who love Empress Wu, but I don't quite understand it. Other than it's size potential, I don't see much character there. The giant Brutus I saw in someones garden was waaay more interesting. jmo

  • 6 years ago

    Same here - Blue Angel, Empress Wu for two. Sum and Substance seems to grow and then fade over the years.


    Favorite variegated is Climax. Earth Angel comes in second.


    Climax showing one division that is a solid color but smaller than the variegated original.


    It was pushing into the JM 'Pygmy'


  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Montana Aureomarginata

    Great Lakes Gold

    Queen of the Seas

    Bridal Falls

    Blue Hawaii

    Guardian Angel

    Devils Advocate

    Broad Band

    Regal Splendor

    Mikado

    Garden Party

  • 6 years ago


    Sagae is my favorite. This is from last June.

  • 6 years ago

    Thank you, I am making my list and hope to go shopping this week. I am developing a woodland moon garden and want some large hosta and some with white on the leaves.

  • 6 years ago

    If I’m being held to one it would be Elegans

  • 6 years ago

    Isn't Elegans one of the parents of Blue Angel (and lots of other large blue hostas)?

    One of my Elegans with volunteer Clerodendrum trichotomum and Blue Bunny hydrangrea.



    Empress Wu is a giant.


    Blue Angel is massive too.


  • 6 years ago

    " large hosta and some with white on the leaves." I d say Sagae and a few of its sporrts like Majesty and Liberty would fit your bill.

  • 6 years ago

    I love my Sun Power. It functions as a shining focal point at that spot in the back garden area.

    Here's a close-up. Below that shows what it looks like in context.



    The blue hostas in front of it are Sieboldiana Elegans, and they are mature. Sun Power is big. Bonus... it grows fast. Also loves sun, does not burn out, and will grow in full shade as well.




  • 6 years ago

    Liquidfeet those are amazing!!!

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    My list is now at 12. Tomorrow is going to be my shopping day. I can't wait. You all are enabling me...

  • 6 years ago

    Liquidfeet, how does Sunpower hold up in the wind? How about with slugs? I have a teeny little youngster, all but brand new starting from a single eye, but if I'm going for Large, I usually look for something with more rugged leaves so the occasional strong winds don't push it around too badly. Is yours pretty sheltered? -- Joan

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Northern Gardener, my sun power is not sheltered, and I haven't had any issues with any of my hostas from wind. Maybe you have more wind where you are than I do? I'm on the norths shore of Boston.


    Slugs, well, yeah. I have a lot of hostas. The slugs will eat them if I let them. But I don't. I sprinkle slug pellets in the crowns as soon as the hostas leaf out in the spring, and later in the summer if holes appear. They usually do, here and there. Any brand will do the trick. Sluggo, Bug-Geta, and others have worked for me.

  • 6 years ago

    I love Montana aureomarginata (my favorite hosta of all), Liberty, Earth Angel, Climax, Krugerrand and Sagae. I am looking forward to seeing how Atlantis, Krossa Regal, Komodo Dragon, and Queen of the Seas grow for me. Elegans is moving up the list this year; it double in size already! World Cup was not special last year, but it only had 1 eye. Abiqua Drinking Gourd is perfect, but I doubt it will be a giant for me.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Uh oh. My Plant Delights Nursery Spring 2020 catalog just arrive. Wu-La-La!!!

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    whoops, posted in wrong thread

  • 6 years ago

    Is anyone growing Wu-La-La? I have not been enticed by Empress Wu, but Wu-la-la looks amazing in the PDN catalog pictures.

  • 6 years ago

    I got all but 1 on my list but found 2 others that wanted to come home with me. Many were just starting to unfurl and a few were just pips. We are going to be under 'shelter in place' starting tomorrow and I didn't want to miss out on my hosta fix for this spring.

  • 6 years ago

    I think Blue Angel is my fav because it is my biggest!



  • 6 years ago

    So frankielynnsie what did you get?

  • 6 years ago

    I got

    Blue Mammoth, Blaze of Glory, Ivory Tower, Montana, Sugar and Cream, Winter Snow, Wu La La, Emp Wu, Squash Casserole, Sun Power, Rhapsody, Lakeside something. They didn't carry some that I would have liked but I can order online. I really like Climax and Sagae so may order those.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Alas, after several days of pining, I have decided the Wu-La-La is just too big for my yard. Tomorrow, I will take pictures of Montana aureomarginata, Ever-so-elegant Elegans, and the emerging Earth Angel, Climax, Sagae, Liberty, Krugerrand, QOTS, and Komodo Dragon. Then, I will be hosta happy again. And in a couple weeks, Diva will start to emerge. Diva is divine!

  • 6 years ago

    Blue Angel has been the first big hosta in my garden and it is still my favourite. I have bought some others but they still need to grow. Second on my list is Green Acres and Regal Splendor. My Jade Cascade is still small, but I have seen one in a 180 l pot and it was amazing.

    I gave my Empress Wu to a friend last year because it is only size and not so much character. If you have a big garden it's easy to keep , but I had to make a decision...







    I hope that Valley*s Ice Giant will make it to my list of my favourite big hosta...



    and not to forget Ivory Coast




    Karin

  • 6 years ago

    Karin..I love Valley's Ice Giant..what beautiful leaves..did your weather warm up?..pips now?..

  • 6 years ago

    Ann, I just commented on newhostalady's post about our weather. I'm sure you will read it there :-)

    That Ice Giant is a stunner! I hope it will be back soon, I only find tiny pips at the moment, but I'm happy about every little sign of life.

  • 6 years ago

    Karin, that Valley's Ice Giant is pretty gripping; I think I have to add it to my wish list! The pie crust edges are fascinating. I'd throw in a lot more exclamation points here but have been trying to restrain myself, ha ha!!! (I gave in...!)

    I have an Empress Wu that I am thinking of moving, to take the place of a shrub that died. It may eventually take over that garden, but that's okay with me. Less maintenance. :) I think I had better do it as soon as possible, actually, before it gets any bigger and harder to move.

  • 6 years ago

    Montana Aureomarginata today



  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Montana aureomaromarginata from above today. And yes, I bought Wu-la-la yesterday. Life is for living..