Oh, I almost forgot...Does having 'Montana Aureomarginata' DNA make it an early riser? Just curious. Thanks for any background info on this variety.

Don B.

I forgot I had Alligator Shoes since it is a spot that I don't visit much. I got mine at our local hosta society auction last June. I don't think we planted it until late fall.

Gesila

In my top 5. This is a Herb Benedict plant that is a Dorothy Benedict x montana cross. Great color, great leaf shape and upright plant form. Merle has a spectacular one. Mine is getting there.

Steve

H. 'Alligator Shoes' is on Don Rawson's list of early emerging hosta.

Thanks, Flower-Frenzy. I don't know how I do it, but I sometimes forget Don R. has all those wonderful lists.

Don B.

Don,

I don't find AS to be early at all. It doesn't have montana A genes. It's DB x montana (the species).

from the registry:
'Alligator Shoes' R. Benedict & H. Hatfield (ONI) AHS, K. Walek (R) 2009

Plant: 52 in. (132 cm) diameter, 24 in. (61 cm) high; mound-like; .
Leaf: 11 in. (27 cm) long, 5 in. (13 cm) wide; 13 pairs of veins; gray-green streaked dark green; creamy yellow to white margin; slightly rippled; glaucous bloom on top; dull underneath; deeply corrugated; ovate; rounded base;
Scape: 30 in. (76 cm) long;
Flower: translucent edges; Stoutsville, OH - July 1 to July 30;
Seed: sets viable seed;green seed pod;
Clump History: the original seedling; Stoutsville, OH;
[H. âÂÂDorothy Benedictâ àH. montana]

Steve

This is one of those hostas that really needs some maturity to show off why it is a real winner. Its adolescent look is fine, but nothing special. With maturity, the leaves can be much larger and they develop the pebbly surface that gave it its name.

I like it a lot. I usually stop and point it out early in my garden tours. Some people are wowed - and other people seem to wonder why I'm mentioning it. I do think it presents itself better in the shade than in the sun. The nice gray-over-green looks great in shade, but can just look kind of pale when the sun is on it...

I certainly agree with idiothe that really mature hostas could be looking different and much more beautiful than hostas which are a few years old. I visited a small local hosta nursery a week ago which had several old clumps. I was surprised how much more beautiful and much larger a 'Paradigm' and a 'Sum it up' looked, bigger leaves and a lot more puckering. 'Sum it Up' actually had cupped leaves and was corrugated a lot, so I could barely see a similarity to my own 'Sum it Up'. Bernd

Steve, if that's your plant it's far surpassed mine. I love it anyway. It's one of the few that have remained in the same spot. The other plants in the corner, transition raised planter come and go. Alligator Shoes has stayed. It's in a perfect amount of shade to keep the color as long as possible and see it every time I walk by .

mctavish - that really shows the neat alligator skin character even though it isn't a huge plant... really nice!

Great plants, you guys...Thanks for the info, Steve.

Don B.