I bought it. I noticed it was a Walter's exclusive. That didn't hurt. At least you can expect it to be HVX free.

I'll figure out something. If it gets too big, I'll divide it.

bk

They can get very large.

Don B.

I can always give it away if I can't do something with it. (The nursery guy loves hosta.) Sum and Substance has been fine in a pot for 5 years. Of course, Cleo set it back substantially since last year (apparently, knocking over a pot of hosta is really bad for it, especially if you do it very many times), so I have a couple of years respite.

However, I could have managed it a few more years in a pot (with a little help). So, I'll get to enjoy Humpback Whale for a while.

bk

The AHS Registration of 2012 reads :
Humpback Wale, M.Seaver (ON), Lehtola, Seaver.
plant 84 in diameter, 35 in high, Leaf 17 x 15 in, dark green, flower near white, very fertile, 5 yrs old.
So you can expect a very large dark green hosta in time considering it was already 7 ft wide and 3 ft high at 5 years.
Bernd

Bernd, our location limits the size, somewhat. Hosta just don't get as big here as they do where you are. Also, they don't get as big in pots, either.

Well, I already bought it, so I'll deal with it.

If it's a mistake, it won't be the first one I ever made.

bk

BKay, don't think it is a mistake. I now have an Empress Wu, and since the rains have finally stopped, I can prepare her spot in the GROUND in a new flower bed along my driveway. DH cleaned it out. I am sorely tempted to at least TRY growing the Empress. And that is also where my Sum And Substance is going as well. In the sunnier part of the bed, where it gets late afternoon sun. We'll see how it fares.

I saw the Humpback Whale as part of GHWild's print catalog. That catalog prompted my DH to ask if I wanted to get 100 for $100? Thinking about 100 more pots, I had to pass on that. But, if in the ground, maybe a few more, don't cha kno, eh? Good luck with your Humpback Whale.

bk, the name of that hosta said it all LOL, it will gow big per the registration. A large hosta in a large pot with large leaves hanging down certainly will be a beauty. Every few years you can prune the roots and subdivide it to keep it from growing larger, limiting any problem.
Bernd

Haha, Moc, you are married to an enabler! You never stood a chance. ;)

I know this post is over two years old now, but I was wondering if you, bkay, would post a recent picture of your humpback whale. Pretty please and thank you.

Very cool. I have one of those! Never knew what it was called.

Brown Thumb, I still have it, but it's not very big. It was a really tiny plant (TC sized) when I received it. Then we had a really dry winter that year and most of those (I bought about 10 different plants in that order and all were tiny.) died from lack of water. You know, we always say don't water in the winter. In this case it was a mistake, though. All that to say it's still small. It's about 18" across this year and still in a relatively small pot.

bk

Mine was also a TC when I bought it (didn't know until it arrived, boo). Anyway, I made the mistake of planting it in a difficult spot beneath a crab apple tree. This year I switched it out. Here it is 6/19/15 a few days after being transplanted.

I planted it with some blue hostas but will probably move it again after summer. My husband, who doesn't notice much in the garden, was like "that one doesn't look like it goes there."

I bought mine this year and I love it.

Mine looks about like yours. However, I'd move it out of that corner. I'd give it at least 2 feet (maybe 3) from the fence (next spring). Otherwise, it's going to get so big that it will have it's leaves splayed up against the fence instead if a nice round shape.

I understand that the rootball is so big on a mature plant that they are really hard to move.

By the way, Brown Thumb, what zone are you in? That black dirt makes me think of Texas.

bk

I know it's difficult to tell from that picture, but it has a few feet between it and the fence post. I gave it about 3.5' hoping it would really reach it's 7' potential. I've used my measuring tape quite a bit while planting my hostas, especially the large ones. I appreciate the advice though. I've used the gardenweb Hosta forum a lot since being bitten by the hosta bug this spring. You folks have so much valuable experience.

Oh, and I'm in Kansas City.

Nice town. It used to be part of my territory when I thought I was a salesperson.

bk

Isn't there a big hosta nursery in KC? I thought I saw that somewhere.Go Royals!Olathe maybe?

You're probably thinking of Made in the Shade. Now Q&Z is gone, they're one of the biggest TC nurseries. TC can be a good thing, BTW. Done right, the plants are checked so they're disease free before culturing - no chance of spreading HVX or anything else.

I put in a tiny Humpback Whale last year and it is already the size of a mature medium hosta. It's in a new and heavily amended bed, but still, that's impressive growth. If life ever calms down, I'll get a photo of it posted.

Yes - Made in the Shade - very nice nursery, with a lovely garden to walk through.