Autumn Frost is a sport of First Frost. The margin is much wider, and for me it has more substance. Autumn Frost is one of my top 5 favorites every year.

-Babka

My First Frost looks almost like my Ben Vernooj both are extremely attractive. I don't know about Autumn Frost since I don't have it. The pictures in the Hosta Library show a wide variation in the white margins of each plant. My margins are quite wide. If you can get the plant at the auction I would do so since it's bound to be a favorite.

Autumn Frost > Valleys Glacier > First Frost/Ben Vernooj

Miles, I'll see what it's going for and what kind of specimen it is. If margins stay the same, I'll pass if it has narrow margins.

I have both. Autumn Frost looks great all summer as does the one in the picture above. I bought First Frost and also love this hosta for it’s blue color that stays blue all summer.

debra

I have First Frost and Ben Vernooji, not Autumn Frost. From my reading and from seeing the plants in real life, First Frost has narrower margins, grows faster, larger leaves and more robust. Ben Vernooji and Autumn Frost are nearly identical, with wide yellow turning cream margins and thick leaves. Ben Vernooji is a full tetraploid of FF, so the leaves are very thick and the plant grows slowly. Autumn Frost is worth the drive. It is gorgeous, like Ben Vernooji with larger leaves that are not quite as thick. I bought Ben V instead of AF because it was cheaper, and because I wanted extra thick leaves to tolerate the heat and sun here. Pictures are First Frost grown in partshade and Ben Vernooji grown in part sun (2). The first 3 pictures are today, and the last from 2 months ago.

I confess. I bought Autumn Frost 2 days ago, too.

Under the oaks- GOOD for you! These things come out of tc's. A fella in the US sees a wide version show up when tc-ing the narrow version of halcyon. So does a fella in Europe. Each fella gives them a name. Are they the same...possibly...or not.

Then they each send THOSE wider versions out to tc.

Unless the grower grows those for a few years to see if they are true to type, and are growing with wider margins, you don't know what the heck you have. Add to that the different growing conditions in each garden in differing zones... CONFUSING!

No one these days waits the 3-5 years (or more) it takes for a hosta to show it's full potential, they hit the retail market right away, guessing at the eventual size, and behavior.

Good that you bought Autumn Frost. I have two of them because I would be heartbroken to lose them to bugs or whatever.

Such is the life of a hostaholic.

-Babka

Babka, we are like-minded on this issue. I figured that, worst case scenario, I have another beautiful plant that grows well in my garden. And now I can say that I am studying the similar sports to report back to the forum next year. Thank you for your great message, Babka!