The hosta is described as one of the best blues, however the description says that the leaves are blue-green. Hmmmmm. It also says that it is best in 35% light, but will take up to 85% sun. I wonder what type of root competition your plant is under? What type of tree/trees? I think your hosta needs sun to produce the blue color which would mean moving it or pruning out some tree branches to give it more light......not sure what would be easier. See what others have to say. Good luck!

debra

That's interesting. My hosta knowledge is slim. I know too much sun can melt the waxy coating that creates the blue color. I didn't know too little sun would suppress the blue color. I do want to move it to a location that would get morning sun, but I am concerned it might get too much morning sun around the summer solstice. Still tinkering.

My knowledge is not much better than yours...... lol ...... the blue color can melt off from rain and top down watering rather than root watering and also too much sun. I have several nice blues, Blue Hawaii, Prairie Sky, Blueberry Muffins and some others. I admit they are in almost total shade. Some blues turn more green as the season progresses, like Blue Angel. I was merely giving you some information from the hosta database. I hope others chime in.

debra

how about a pic with the leaves dry ...

ruh reg'd it in 2010 ... but im pretty sure.. its been around since the 70s or 80s ... perhaps it was one of the bluest then ... back when the only blue was elegans.. and we all recall that nightmare ...

maybe zillis or some other source has better background ...

ken

in the way back machine ... they though elegans was a species .. and came true from seed ...

which is or was the original elegans ... im not sure anyone knows ... and a lot of beer and wine has been consumed arguing about it.. lol ... its all there on the elegans page at the library .... and hell.. if schmid dont know.. nobody knows .....

and off course.. being seed based.. the blue color varied ... just like the pix at the library ...

since you have bragged on yours... no pix.. no proof.. lol .. serve em up ...

ken

ken - that was interesting history re Elegans! And it caused me to look at the Hosta Library for more information.... I know that you have expressed doubts before of whether my supposed Elegans is actually what it is supposed to be and I can see why from looking at the pictures in the Hosta Library! This thread has also made me think more about the various shades of blue on the blue hostas I have. A division of my Elegans that is in most shade here is somewhat less blue in its full sun position in the front bed (but it is also much bigger - in leaf and overall size) - but then, by the time the usual July heat wave has cooled down, most of the blues are less blue! My bluest hosta at the moment is in full shade. If I remember correctly, it's Blue Angel I think. I hope the OP will forgive me posting these pictures on her thread:

Elegans (supposed to be!) in the mostly shady backyard patio hosta bed at noon today:

A division of that one growing in the mostly full sun front garden on July 4th:

Blue Angel(?) in mostly full shade under the pines yesterday:

So my experience says there seems to be lots of factors affecting how blue these things look so I don't worry about it to much as long as it it blue enough to have the desired impact! The color seems to change over the growing season no matter where the plant is located :-)

Ken, ha ha, I am such a troll.....not.

Here are couple of pix. Mine are ptrtty much in shade and I think they look pretty much blue. I also have a quite large Hapsden Blue and the only way I can tell them apart is flower color....

Hapsden Blue, lavender flowers

Interesting, I have the same experience. My BM (ha) is also in most shade and has never shown any blue color. This is in its fourth year but was eaten down the first two.

It would be nice to be blue but I don't have any where to go with it to get much more sun. I will just leave it there and enjoy the green.

Probably could be made blue by applying aluminum sulfate to the soil making it more acid. This is a very common practice to make hydrangeas blue or bluer. Lime or superphosphate will conversely turn them pink. Maybe your soil is too alkaline. I would get a cheap testing kit and find out. - Jon

I'm sorry for the delay, ken! Below is BM and my NOID blues without water/moisture (see note below):

Below is what is supposed to be a true Empress Wu:+

Below is a Wu seedling:

Note: The nursery where I purchased all of these is hybridizing hostas. I know one Wu is a seedling, which I didn't realize until later. They label seedlings with a popsicle stick. It is possible (I can't remember) that my BM is actually a seedling. Anyway, old dirt, my BM looks JUST LIKE yours, so I'm glad to know I'm not crazy. Not blue at all!

Just for kicks, below is my favorite hosta, Victory. Love the green/yellow color and the size: