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hostasmith

Is this Americana?

hostasmith
10 years ago

I need some help on the identity of this plant.

This is behind my in-laws well house and it is one of my favorites, but I think it needs a little more sun.

I have a lot more that I would like to find the names to also.

Comments (12)

  • Steve Massachusetts
    10 years ago

    No. That's Undulata Univitata in the first two pics. Don't know the last one.

    Steve

  • hostasmith
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    How do you tell the difference between Americana and Univitata? It seems like Univitata has a larger white area.

  • User
    10 years ago

    On the second photo, would Sum ANd Substance make the cut? How old is that second plant?
    Here is a picture of my 2010 purchase which is in a container.

    If you have others to identify, can you post them as separate threads? Then we don't get things mixed up while scrolling up and down. Thanks.

  • thisismelissa
    10 years ago

    Agreed. undulata Univitata

    Americana is a dark green and a smaller plant.
    It's also a newer introducation and it'd be hard to imagine a plant would be the size of that undulata, at least at this age.

    Americana also holds its leaves upright. Your undulata there has a floppy habit.

    And you asked how we can tell? Experience.

  • don_in_colorado
    10 years ago

    I would be careful about giving Undulata more sun. The leaves are pretty, but they are of such thin substance that they'll easily fry in more direct sunlight.

    Regards,
    Don B.

  • don_in_colorado
    10 years ago

    Looks like you have a whole bunch of hosta in small pots there. That's always nice to see. Did you just buy all of 'em? Just curious.

    Don B.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    Americana was reg'd in 2006 ...

    unless you paid good money for it.. say $30 in the last few years.... you do NOT have it ...

    if its been behind the in laws house for decades.. its the undulata mentioned

    its hard to ID immature plants.. and try to throw a scale into pix... it helps us ...

    the last pic does NOT look like SS .. no glaucousness to the leaves ... and too thin of a leaf ...

    ken

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago

    On #2, notice the slightly rippled edge. I know it's not Sum and Substance, but have no idea what it is. It has a slight resemblance to Dancing Queen, but DQ doesn't stay yellow, but turns green this late in the season.

    on #1, how you can tell it's Undulata Univitata is the way it twists. Look at Undulata in the hosta library, and you'll see what I mean. Then look at Americana again. You'll see it. Look at Night Before Christmas. See how NBC has a slight twist at the end? Then look at Americana again. You'll see it.

    bk

    Here is a link that might be useful: hosta library

  • coll_123
    10 years ago

    Americana has stiff, upright leaves.

  • hostasmith
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you all for your help. I am sure it is Undulata Univitata because I can't imagine my Father-In-Law would pay that kind of money for a plant. Is there any way to get it to want to stand up better? I will be posting other plants that I would like to know the names to later. Mine have been out of the ground for 2 summers and I am just getting around to at least potting them and I have some planted.

    @Don B.- I did just buy a lot of those, our local Wal-Mart had them on clearance, $1.74 and $2.75 a plant, so I bought all the Patriot, Lakeside Cupcake, Undulata Variegata, Wolverine, June, Pilgrim, Great Expectations and Japanese Painted ferns that they had left and also one big Stained Glass. Some of the others are plants I had at our house that I brought with me when we moved that I finally got put in pots.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    Is there any way to get it to want to stand up better? ==>>NO... its genetically what it is ...

    Undulata Variegata ==>>> you bought more of the same.. lol .. there are three undulatas.. all decade long workhorses of the garden.. the center white.. the white edge.. and the green ....

    I am sure it is Undulata Univitata because I can't imagine my Father-In-Law would pay that kind of money for a plant. ==>> bingo bango ... i figured as much ...

    any chance your mystery green.. had fragrant flowers... honeybells is old enough for FIL ... and cheap as dirt.. back when dirt was new.. lol ... [is he older than dirt??]

    ken

  • hostasmith
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I brought the mystery green with me, bought it when a nursery went out of business. I brought one cutting of about 6 plants of that variety that I had at our house. I bought everything Wal-Mart had, including the Undulata and I wish I lived close to a Home Depot, looks like they had some good varieties and may be on clearance now. We moved out to the in-laws farm and they were not big on landscaping, so I have a lot of places to put hostas!

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