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josephines67

H. 'Confused Angel' and 'Athena'

Before I invest $100+ for these beauties I thought it would be wise to seek some advice. If you grow one or both of these I would appreciate your feedback about their performance in your garden...the good and the bad... tolerance for sunlight, growth rate, slug resistance, etc. etc. pictures are most welcome.

Jo

Comments (20)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    no experience.. just gut reactions. ..

    athena... sport of aphrodite... if you cant get one to bloom... can you get the other to bloom ... and if you cant.. whats the point of paying for a streaked breeder.. that you cant get to bloom???? .. and if you look close at the various library pix.. it reverts easily ...

    CA .... library doesnt say if its fertile... so again ... is it worthy it as a streaked breeder?? if not.. dont buy it for that reason ...

    all that said... if i had the dough.. i would bake some cookies.. those are nice looking plants ... lol

    mmmmm ... warm cookies... lol .. can you tell its near dinner time.. lol ...

    you can buy about 10 other hosta for the cost of these... so whats important to you??? .. perhaps you dont care if you ever get a seed pod to ripen on them ....

    ken

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My plantaginea sports have been duds. Aphrodite buds won't open and Venus just croaked without a reason that I know of, which is unusual.

    The only Aphrodite I would buy would be from Chris. I can't imagine that a sport would be much better. I'd want to see the open blossoms before I bought it.

    bk

  • in ny zone5
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I can not get 'Aphrodite' to bloom, am also in zone 5. This year I probably will move it into full sun. Plantaginae comes from southern China where there is heat and humidity. They are only good for their medium green leaves not affected by hot temperatures in the North. In the Hosta Journal one guy in zone 5 got 'Aphrodite' to bloom by mounting a floodlight over it, they showed a picture.

    This post was edited by berndnyz5 on Wed, Mar 5, 14 at 18:46

  • timhensley
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Confused Angel is not likely to be of any use for hybridizing either. I don't know of anyone with a streaked form of Blue Angel that is reliably fertile. Even if it does set seed it's unlikely to have viable seed. That being said my streaked Blue Angel is stunning.

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks folks for taking the time to help me out with this.

    Ken, I appreciate the candour - initially I fell in love with the look of the plants...Blue/cream/white are like a magnet for me...to get a streaker with those colours was my goal...up until now. Yes, as you guessed, with CA I eventually would have wanted to hybridize.

    I wanted Athena for fragrance as well as streaks but you're right - if it won't bloom, there goes the fragrance; if it reverts, there go the streaks....and I am left with a plant that may very well end up looking like anything but what I initially would have bought it for and I can't use it as a breeder either.

    As for using the $ to buy 10 others...lol...I wish!! I seldom pay less than $20 for a hosta, unless it's from the superstore/grocery Zehr's where I can get any for under $10 each...closer to $8. I passed on a $7 Victory in the spring because I didn't think it was special - yup, idiot!!!! I'm looking for it this spring as it will be a HOTY for 2015...I already have ten HOTYs so far.
    You folks south of the border have by far, by far, better prices all round.
    -------------

    Bkay, you have a much longer growing season than I do, so if you have difficulty getting your Aphrodite to flower, my chances are even slimmer or next to none! Good point about finding a plant in bloom - that would be the smart thing to do. I am sorry you lost Venus, especially when you don't know why. Perplexing. Thanks for weighing in.
    --------

    Bernd, I have to tell you that I was prompted to look at streakers after you showed us all your streaked seedlings. I was visualizing me doing that in a couple of years...so exciting to create new seedlings. Let me/us know if siting your Aphrodite in more sun does the trick. I really hope it surprises you and blooms! A floodlight, you say...that is one tenacious individual!
    --------------

    Tim, did you post your BA in the alphabet? If so, I will look it up. If not, would you indulge me and post a pic here of your stunning beauty? Would love to see it. I see your point about fertility and seed viability...which would be my ultimate goal. The odds aren't that favourable.
    ---------------

    Having considered all your remarks, I have decided to put these two hosta to the side of my want list. I won't discount them entirely, but will re-visit in a year or two. In the meantime, perhaps I will find replacements that are both reliably stable, don't revert, are fertile, set loads of fat seed pods, and bloom their fragrant little heads off!

    On the plus side --- I DO happen to have a 'Guardian Angel' which is also a progeny of Blue Angel. My neighbour and I trade divisions once in a while and I scored on a GA division last summer. I might just be content, for now, to enjoy watching this one grow into maturity...it had a couple of quite large leaves on it last year...no doubt bigger and better this year, you think?

    If any of you think of any good candidates, please don't hesitate to suggest! You'd be helping me immensely!

    I really appreciate your input. Thank you. You have no doubt saved me from disappointment. Now I have to reallocate the $ ... I'll let you know what and how many hosta I got for that money. :). Those were not the only two I was looking at to buy!

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey, K en! Did you get those cookies after you finished dinner? LOL

  • Steve Massachusetts
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jo,

    There is a streaked form of Guacamole called Quesidilla. It's available from LOTG for $40. And you can get Dream Maker for $50 from a number of different places. That's a streaked form of Blue Angel, but I think it's a bit more stable than Confused Angel. Hallson's has it as well as LOTG. That might give you what you want. I think these two plants would grow better for you than the others.

    Steve

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    and dont get me wrong ...

    if you gotta have it.. then get it ...

    just do it for the right reasons ...

    not for some reason that may or may not pan out.. e.g. seed ...

    i am not one to lecture anyone.. on irrational plant decisions... lol

    ken

    ps: no one made me cookies ... lol ...

  • in ny zone5
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Since Jo mentioned my streaker baby seedlings, the big benefit is that you could do hosta gardening from November to May and can appreciate beautiful plants at your leisure while outside is icy snow and negative temperatures. Now I need to go down into the basement and stick my head again into my small grow chamber to look at them! I just bought 20 more 4 inch plastic pots, thinking about repotting them when I bring them out in May.
    Bernd

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bernd...and while you are doing that, would you by any chance be taking progression pictures? Hint hint. These would be my first observations of following hosta seedlings as they grow! They are not mine, but I still get excited about it. I bet there would be more "curious George's" like me waiting to see... hmmm your words are encouraging...maybe next winter I will try some....

    Steve, that is so MOST helpful! Thank you so much for the recommendations. I Just checked... Hosta Fever (one of my local providers) has a Dream Maker for $40-TC ...what should I expect do you think?

    Ken..."irrational plant decisions"....why, whatever do you mean, my fellow hostaholic? ( she says in an innocent voice) Lol. I thought ALL of our hosta decisions were irrational....otherwise some of us wouldn't have amassed 1500+, right??? LOL right back atcha, Cookie Monster! Seriously though, I appreciate and understand what you are saying. If I really want it, get it...but forewarned is forearmed.

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OMG I just googled Quesadilla! Wow...I happen to love my new Guacamole (thanks, Don B.) so a relative of it would be so appropriate! Steve, this may just do it...

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jo, Aphrodite blooms, but they don't open. It looks like the ends are fused together. I can't think of a better description than that, but it still doesn't exactly describe it.

    bk

    Aphrodite bloom

  • don_in_colorado
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jo, check out 'Justice' in the hosta library and see what you think. (It's a streaked breeder, but not related to BA or a fragrant. It is beautiful, though).

    Don B.

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bkay, those are nice fat buds but stubborn aren't they? Love the crisp look of white on that green. Thanks for posting the picture...makes me want to try and grow one...just to see how it will do here in our climate (flower). Keeping my fingers crossed that she will bloom for you this year.

    Don, I looked up Justice and yes, I agree she is a beauty! Thank you for suggesting her. I've added these two to the potential list along with Steve's recommendation...one or two have a very good chance of coming home this growing year. :-)

    Mocc's "gold fever" must be contagious because I seem lately to be lingering over the large yellow hostas as well..uh oh! Focus, Jo, focus!

  • User
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jo, I got Zilis' latest hosta publication, his Field Guide. I read a couple of hours on the introductory pages before I started flipping pages. Already I found answers to a couple of questions posed on the forum. I thought AHA! Should be tajking notes.

    (I cut tip of finger, bandage on it, missing keystrokes here.)

    Why I mention it, he discusses under plantaginea and Royal Standard the fertility issues with fragrant hosta in general and those two in particular. Haven't read everything yet, but won't stop until I do.

    It is imminently readable, and for a hostaholic like a few of US are on here, it is a MUST READ. My copy is autographed since I ordered it direct from Q&Z. And, incidentally, it is spiral bound and a good size to hold in your hand with the page folded back behind itself....do not have to hold it open, very nicely bound for easy handling by the reader.

    Also, Athena is one of my first hosta to pip this year. I got her last year, had her in a lot more sun than my Aphrodite, and it looks like there will be a whole lot of new eyes. A picture of a pot of dirt doesn't interest most people, but I know use hosta folks are different. So...here is a pot of dirt with some green in it. :)

  • newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Moc for your comments about Zilis' new book "A Field Guide to Hostas." My birthday is coming and I have put it on my birthday list with a lot of !!!!!!'s and *****'s on it (hint, hint).

    "A picture of a pot of dirt doesn't interest most people, but I know use hosta folks are different." That comment made me chuckle Moc because it is so true!!!!!!

    Sorry Jo. I can't add anything to your quest for knowledge on Confused Angel or Athena, but I am glad that you are getting suggestions from others.

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mocc, that pot of dirt is a sight for sore eyes and well you and I know it...lol I expanded the view on my tablet and it looks like you'll have more than a dozen eyes by the time all emerge...how great is that?!?! I knew you had one when I posted this thread..it was just a matter of time before you weighed in - I'm waiting in anticipation this year...you, Bkay and Bruce, for starters grow either Aphrodite or Athena ( or both ). The anticipation of flowers is great.

    I perked up when I saw the spiral binding too - it doesn't occupy double space on the table when folded back onto itself...leaves more room for important things such as.....potted hosta! Methinks I NEED it.

    NHL...always nice to hear from you...did you pick up anything interesting at the H&G Show on Thursday that might interest us? By the way, your War Paint is on my want list - notice I said "your" ... It's gorgeous! I hope your birthday hints come to fruition!!! :-).

  • newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The Home and Garden Show in Toronto was a disappointment. There were fewer exhibits as compared to last year. Not a hosta in site! I think the new location was a mistake and the fact that the National Home Show and Canada Blooms is this month too, didn't help. Mind you, I did learn some things. So my time was not in vain.

    I and, I am sure, many other forum members can show you photos of War Paint in all its glory this spring. Then you can make your final decision as to whether it is what you are looking for.

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I was pulling your leg re "your".... Meaning I wanted yours, lol but my humour delivery was better in my mind than written down. IMO you grow hosta to perfection!

  • in ny zone5
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jo, yes I am taking pictures as my seedlings grow. As they grow the streaks and colors in succesive leaves change quite erratically. Bernd

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