I own Amalia

I don't own First Dance

There's a reason for that.....

I just bought and planted Amalia last week….impossible for me to tell, yet.

debra

Good observations and I would agree, but there's more to the story. First Dance has a tendency to go green in the middle, but sunlight helps it stay yellow. There's also Dancing Darling with a tendency to go white in the middle in lots of sun. I wrote about these a couple years ago here: Dancing Queen Sports.

Two years later and I have more pics. Thanks for getting me out into the yard taking pics of these among my favorite Hosta this morning.

Amalia - I had to shade these as the sun was just washing them out.

First Dance - in sunlight

Still streaking but much narrower margin.

Dancing Darling (Really feel like this should be Dancin Darlin). Lighter leaf color already and in shade but very similar margin and streakiness.

Let's see if I can find some pics from late last year.

Amalia in early August planted in medium shade:

First Dance in early July planted in full morning sun till ~1:00:

You can see how the second flush is green in the middle, but the older leaves have stayed yellow in the sun with green veins.

And Dancing Darling in early August planted with only a couple hours (at most) of mid-morning sun.

I own Amalia

I own First Dance (x2)

I own Dancing Darling

There's a reason for that.....

I Like Them!

Amalia today

First dance

I have yet to locate Dancing Darling.

Lindalana, thank you for sharing the photos from today. Your plants look beautiful. Your Amalia looks more mature than First Dance. Is it 1-2 years older than FD?

Such happy yellows. No wonder they're dancing. Linda, your Amalia seems like it has narrower margins than mine but still wider than First Dance. I wonder if its environmental or genetic or maturity. I'm not sure how the suppliers keep them straight. That might be one reason we get some different ones out of TC.

UTOG, I feel lucky I got any hostas back with me it was an ordeal. Funny thing about sizes they did not fare equally. My land proved to be deceptively flat and I got some waterlogging. Thus some hostas enjoyed move and did not miss a bit and some had their crowns sitting in water. Thus said there was probably a year difference. But they were readonably comparable prior to move.

Can't wait till next year regrowth. I have horse farm nearby....

Steve, I agree, also think green border largely depends on amount of sun too. I was just admiring nicholworth Great expectations it has stunning green border, mine planted in dappled full sun... It did survive the move though....

GE, Dream Queen/Weaver are ones whose border widens with maturity. If those do, why not DQ and her dance partners.

A few days after arrival, First Dance on left and Amalia on right. Same plants from beginning of this post.

Today. First Dance on left, Amalia right

I like the wider green border that Amalia has but if the mdidle tends to turn green then I am not so sure that I would like it. Lindalana, how much sun does your Amalia get? Steve's Amalia seems to retain its green border too. When I've looked at the pictures on the Hosta Library, the green borders on Amalia stand out but I've also seen pictures from a few nurseries later in the season, and the center does green up a lot. So maybe I will get one? Decisions, decisions. I now have a bunch of large, large pots so maybe I can buy more stuff?

Journey’s End today…

I made a mistake in earlier pic. What I thought was First Dance is likely my second Amalia. Unfortunately at juvenile stage they often look alike.

Here we go.

Overall Amalia is a beast. That is how you know.

Amalia large one that got moved into more shade.

First dance got all greeney

Prarie edge

Smaller Amalia

Lindalana, wow! I like that Prairie’s Edge, too!

Utog, thanks! Prarie edge grows in quite shady spot. I am surprised how well it holds color.

I might have to move First Dance to sunnier spot, just not liking how blah it gets.

Give your Amalia some space, it needs it.

I am hoping to post updates as I see them

Prairie edge

First dance

Choko Nishiki#1

Dancing Darling

Amalia #2

Choko Nishiki #2

Amalia#1

After looking at the photos here, I may have Dancing Darling or First Dance. My Amalia is just 3 years old so may be difficult to determine yet.

debra

Debra, I believe my Amalias started with very small edge too so I would wait and see. I remember Steve was showing his Amalia and it had much better edging at early stage, maybe different TC batches do differ?

Funny that this thread would pop up again. Interesting to see the similarities to each of the hosta mentioned.

Since you are discussing the hosta Amalia, I was wondering whether you could tell me whether my NOID hosta could be Amalia? It's driving me crazy as I am wondering what it is. I did have an Amalia once, but it shrank. I remember moving it to a part of my garden and it disappearing. I don't remember moving it to another part of my garden. I even deleted it from my list as I thought it was gone.

So now I am not able to identify a pretty hosta that has suddenly caught my eye. Is it the so called resurrected from the dead Amalia?

It totally could be if you think some latent eye is regrowing . I think HL is showing only mature specimens and immature ones look like this one. Not my photo, this one is from Polish store.

Lindalana, that photo looks like Amalia, a young one. And it looks like my hosta! Mine didn't grow from a latent eye. In fact, the last time I remember having it, it was in my backyard. This one is in my front yard!

Thanks Lindalana, for looking up that hosta!

I bought a Dancing Darling earlier this year, I really like the edging. I didn't get a chance to plant it so it remains in its nursery pot under a tree out of direct sun. Now it's all light green/chartreuse. Not good looking at all. Nothing like Steve's pictures--there isn't any edging left. What could have happened?

Maybe not enough sun miles???

debra

Although I love the look of Amalia, First Dance, and all of the Dancing Queen sports for the first 2 months of the hosta growing season, I find that they all become a dull chartreuse by late June to July. I enjoy them while they are bright and continue to nurture them when they all dull. Their stunning performance in the first 1/3 to 1/2 season is worth the whole season of watering. For a more consistent appearance for whole season, try Journey’s End (hence the name). Here is mine today after 6 weeks of drought and heat wave (97-106 F true temp) with twice per week watering. Growing in shade to part-shade.