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don_in_colorado

'Fortunei Aureomarginata'

don_in_colorado
10 years ago

When I hear 'oldie but a goodie', this plant usually comes to mind. I know this hosta used to be hugely popular, I'm wondering if very many of us still grow it. This is actually my very first hosta ever acquired. I bought a tiny plant (this one pictured) back in 2009, and this is it a couple of weeks ago. Last summer, after being bitten by the hosta bug and discovering how many hosta there actually are, I dug it up to amend the clay it was growing in. To my unpleasant surprise, it basically fell apart into 3 segments as I was cleaning the clay from it's roots. I jumped on the internet and learned that it was easily divided, and so I planted the separate pieces a bit spaced from one another. Voila, it looks pretty nice this year. I love it's shade of green, and those gold/yellow margins that hold their color all season.

Does anyone like this cultivar as much as I do? Anyone have any pics of theirs?

Does anyone still grow it??

Regards,
Don B.

P.S.: I do like 'Twilight', but I must admit, I prefer it's parent plant. ; )

Comments (20)

  • don_in_colorado
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    A handsome hosta indeed! (In my personal opinion)

  • ci_lantro
    10 years ago

    Why do you prefer FA over Twilight?

    I'm asking because I love Twilight and I don't have FA. And haven't seen one to know it by that name, i.e. labeled as such.

    Could it be that FA is more about the neatly framed green & Twilight is all about those glowing margins?

  • beverlymnz4
    10 years ago

    I have one nearly 5 feet across. I bought it thinking I was buying Montana Aureomarginata. No regrets about this mistake.

  • dougald_gw
    10 years ago

    I have a half dozen of these - they are all mature plants and they hold their colour wonderfully all season. I really like them and have always wondered why they fell from popularity.

    Doug

  • beverlymnz4
    10 years ago

    Along this same line of thinking. I prefer Francee to Patriot or Minute Man. I think I'm the only one in the world. Here is mine with a one foot ruler.

    Beverly

    {{!gwi}}

  • beverlymnz4
    10 years ago

    Here is my photo of Francee I forgot to post.

    Beverly

  • esox48
    10 years ago

    I also bought Fortunei Aureomarginata from Target when I first started getting a few hostas. I planted it in the premiere spot because I thought it was montana Aureomarginata. I even crossed it with Abba Dabba Do because I thought that would be cool.

    A couple of years later, when I learned more and discovered my mistake, I moved it and planted a real montana Aureomarginata in that spot and it looks exactly the way I had hoped. Now more than 70 inches across.

    The Fortunei Aureomarginata also looks great in a different spot. I gave away my Twilight, hated it.

    And the seedling I grew from the ADD/Fortunei Aureomarginata cross is my favorite blue seedling although neither parent has any blue.

    So everything worked out great.

  • stoc zone 6 sweden
    10 years ago

    I think I have one! Bought a Noid,it looked so good I couldn't pass it up.Looks like what you have.I also have Twilight--I really like it too!

  • don_in_colorado
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    My 'Twilight' has been a slooow grower. just not been impressed with it. At all. (My best reference of 'Twilight' have been others' nice-looking plants) But mostly, I just think 'FA' is a nicer-looking plant, ci lantro. Just my personal opinion. I'm probably way in the minority here.

    Cheers,
    Don B.

    This post was edited by Don_in_Colorado on Thu, Jul 4, 13 at 18:02

  • evermore_gw z 4/5 NB
    10 years ago

    I'm really glad you started this thread, Don. I agree with you completely, FA is a much overlooked hosta, possibly because it doesn't have a catchy name like Twilight. It's great that several forum members have good luck with the latter, but mine has always been a slug magnet, and it looks like a piece of Belgian lace by late season. My FA, in contrast, looks good all summer long. It grows in dappled shade and, like all the rest, is far too crowded. You are smart to give yours some growing room.

    Steve

  • frogged
    10 years ago

  • mbug_gw
    10 years ago

    Nice thread.....I really like FA and Francee too. I think it's because they both always seem to hold up and look fresh when some others start to look a little ragged.
    FA


    In deep shade.....leaves stay very dark and margin very bright all season

    Francee


    Starting to crowd a big Antioch....she has definitely exceeded expectations.

  • hostanista
    10 years ago

    I inherited about a dozen of these when I moved to this property in 2012. I've transplanted some here and there to show them off better. There's absolutely nothing wrong with FA; it's a lovely hosta and performs well. Here is a clump of 3 on a hillside rock bed next to a day lily yet to bloom, and you can spot 2 more FA's in the background. I also have Twilight but it's just a baby, planted last month so I'll reserve judgement on her for a couple of seasons yet.

  • ConnieMay ON Z6a
    10 years ago

    Here's mine. I bought it because the leaves were so beautiful and haven't regretted it. It has a really great form and looks good all season for me as well.

  • don_in_colorado
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Wow, so many beautiful 'F.A.'s....I guess a good portion of us DO still grow it.

    Thanks for all the great pics.

    Don B.

  • ci_lantro
    10 years ago

    I do have a couple of different green and gold noids...both that I like a lot...so I may have FA and not know it. One came from my neighbor who got one of those hosta bundles at Sam's Club a few years ago and the other one I purchased at a garage sale. The garage sale one has wider margins and both are a much darker green than my Twilight although the noids are in a lot more shade than Twilight. I'll have to pay them more attention and take some divisions to grow in more light.

  • gogirlterri
    10 years ago

    Here is Theresa's $.02. I THINK I have 2 F. Aureomarginata. I KNOW I have one. I bought the second, untagged at a local greenhouse as a 20 eyed plant for less than $20. I couldn't pass it up. Leaf shape, variegation, vein count and size and upper and lower color are indistinguishable from each other. But the newer one seems a bit more upright. I am really enjoying and respecting FA.

    I too like Francee, and prefer it over Patriot and many of the other similar white centered hostas. But that being said, a bed full of aureo-margined or creamy white margined hostas would, in my opinion be a bit boreing.

    Theresa

  • newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
    10 years ago

    I have had Fortunei Aureomarginata in my garden (for a very long time), and I purchased Twilight in 2011. FA has grown very slowly for me due to root competition. I purchased Twilight when I began my love for hostas. So I have plunked down my potted Twilight next to my FA for you to see the difference between them. First of all, they look similar in size even though I have had FA for ages!

    So for me:

    Twilight has thicker leaves, wider margins and good growth (2011 - ? eyes, 2012 - 4 eyes, 2013 - 12 eyes). But Twilight gets ratty edges for me, and I never got that with FA.

    FA is doing well. Approx. 40 eyes this year. If I had to choose between the two, FA would win out.

    I plan to remove FA and clean up the invading roots, and then put it in a root control bag. It will be interesting to see how well it does then.

  • newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
    10 years ago

    Closeup of FA.

  • newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
    10 years ago

    Closeup of Twilight.

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