Guardian Angel or Angel Eyes

11 years ago

Is there really any difference between Guardian Angel and Angel Eyes? I have a two year old Guardian Angel that has never had nice color. When it came up this year, it was almost entirely green. The new leaves are looking better, but I find the color of my Guardian Angel disappointing compared to other Guardian Angels that I have seen. I read somewhere that some Guardian Angels have good color and some don't -- If a young plant doesn't have good color, it never will.

So, I picked up an Angel Eyes today that has beautiful color. I am hoping that it stays that way. I know some people think these varieties are the same, and perhaps they are, but I think my new Angel Eyes is going to be a prettier plant than my Guardian Angel. What can you tell me about these two?

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Comments (4)

User
11 years ago
I'm checking to see about Angel Eyes, so far it is not listed as having any sports, so I must go another direction for it.

But Guardian Angel originated as a sport of Blue Angel. Then GA has 6 sports of its own, including Fallen Angel, American Blue Guardian, Luc's Birthday, and Fire & Brimstone. It's other sport, American Angel, sported one of its own, called American Angel's Fire. (Info from MyHostas.be/sports/index )

Then, checking Blue Angel, I discover that Angel Eyes is another sport of it, just like Guardian Angel is. Quoting from the description MyHostas gives of this plant, first sentence says: "This is a white centered form of 'Blue Angel', similar to and possibly identical to the recently registered 'Guardian Angel'." You can go to the website and read the rest of the info there.

So it seems you are keeping it all in the family with your new selection. Perhaps you can give it a couple of years and see whether they are identical or not.

Under Guardian Angel, followed from Blue Angel link, it gives another sport, Comanche, for GA. It also lists that American Angel (VanWade) is a "superior" version of GA and its color holds true all season. Said to be a Large hosta.
But I recommend you look up and read all about it.

Fascinating trail of hosta history in this web site.
Steve Massachusetts
11 years ago
The Library says they are both sports of Blue Angel. If you have an Angel Eyes with good color, then you probably have Guardian Angel. They are the same sport and essentially identical. If yours has good color, keep it, no need to have both.

Steve
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roblksd
11 years ago
I have had the opportunity to see a mature Angel Eyes and it is very close to Guardian Angel but I think there may be slight differences. I grow both American Angel and Guardion Angel. American Angel is a selection of Guardian Angel that has bright colored variegation and the variegation holds up well through out the season. There is enough variability in the plants produced in TC of GA that it is best to try and get one as brightly colored as possible. If not it will turn almost completly dark green in the summer.
junco1102
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you for your input. My Guardian Angel and my new Angel Eyes are in beds on opposite sides of my yard, so they will not be close to each other. It will be interesting to see how they develop.