H, I see a lot of green leaves amongst your Striptease family ... which will have to be removed if you want to retain the original unique markings of the plants. Same goes with the other variegated hosta. The green will soon outgrow the other and you'll be left with a predominantly green hosta.

You have a couple of choices - easiest one is to rip out the green leaves as close to the base as you can...or dig out the entire plant and separate it...which, even to me "the hosta saver" seems too daunting a task. Those are very established plants and not easy to dig up. Besides, I'll hazard a guess and say that you don't need any more green hostas, right? Lol.

I had this happen to my June last year (when I was a newbie too) I attach a link on the subject. Jim's (Idiothe) explanation is a great teaching tool! :-)

Hostanovice, you've inherited hundreds of beautiful hostas (and many, many mature ones) that has some, if not most of us drooling!

For your birthday or a Christmas present, if I were you I'd request a hosta encyclopedia! It will help you while away the wintry hours while you wait for what I am sure will be a veritable "pip heaven" Spring in your gardens.!

Happy hosta-ing!

Jo

Here is a link that might be useful: Solid leaves on variegated hostas/sporting

Love that! What an awesome garden you purchased with the home.

Thanks for the tip Jo - yes I would like to keep the plants looking like Striptease! Here is a close up of one of the Striptease - is this the same story with some of the leaves that are a variation from the rest of the plant? Should I remove these leaves as well (the ones with the very white strip)?

No, I wouldn't remove anything but solid green leaves. Once you've done that, it will be easier for you to study each individual plant. If a particular hosta is displaying unusual markings (other than green) from the rest of the variegated plant, you may have a new sport developing....definitely post such findings as well. Experts here will help you with that - there is always a chance you may come up with something totally new!

Actually, given that you are the lucky owner of several hundred established hostas, the amount of anomalies cropping up in your garden won't surprise anyone. You are bound to have lots of little surprises!!! :-). Lucky you!

Looks like you have more than just Striptease in there...other family members as well...there are a lot of sports of S and sports of those sports...I don't have them all memorized but recall Kiwi Full Monty, Gypsy Rose, Risky Business, etc...there are over twenty of them at least that I see in my Zilis Field Guide to Hostas.

You may want to google the Hosta Library and get familiarized with this family as it is very interesting - the names alone will keep you entertained, lol!

I've been gardening for several decades - it is my main hobby - but even for me...having inherited hundreds of hostas all at once - it would make my head swim...with delirium! Lol, but it be overwhelming at first....are you feeling a bit of that by any chance?

I admire your enthusiasm ... You are approaching this sudden hosta wealth seemingly in a cool, calm and happy way. Your garden has me eagerly anticipating more pics as you discover and acquaint yourself with all your new "babies".

Jo

does anyone else.. even see a striptease in there.. i might see one leaf in the whole group...

there are about a hundred named versions of striptease... be sure you have a lightening like white streak in the plant..

otherwise.. compare with kiwi carp.. i just blanked.. lol .. kiwi some such ... kiwi full monte .. lol ..

and that white centered one. is obviously not S ...

ken

My untrained eye cannot tell the difference between a close up of my plant here and the next picture from hostalibrary of Striptease. Here is mine:

And this is from hostalibrary.com. As Jo stated, I have some plain green leaves shooting out if the same plant but besides that, what difference do you see Ken?

Thanks!!

Yours is coming along ok, novice. As I recall, my Striptease had very little white markings when it was small, but the markings got more intense as it aged. By "aged" I mean when the clump got to 3-4 feet in diameter.

tj

The one on the right with the white centre may or may not be one of the following: Pole Cat, Risky Business, Stripped Naked, White Bikini or White Line Fever, Lap Dance...all with white centres... just to start you off looking at some similarities...there are so many, as Ken mentioned.

I, too would encourage you to take Paul up on his generous offer to help you identify your hostas. What a prince! :-)

Striptease multiplies rapidly so don't be afraid to take divisions if you plan on selling some. Its growth next year will surprise you.

T.J., I must ask.......How is 'I-gore' doing this season? ; )

Don B.

yes.. a better pic.. makes it apparent ...

ken

Don- I-gore is looking closer to normal (and less like Abbey) this year. Still some narrow stripes and the revert to Gold Standard, but nothing like that one year.

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: Abbey Normal

I just said good bye to my striptease - HVX. Dug her up this afternoon and bagged her. Will take her back to the garden center and explain to them what little I know about HVX. Hopefully someone will care. I dug and and am trashing the surrounding soil and sterilized my shovel.

Sorry, TJ, 'Abbey Normal' is what I meant...

Don B.

...but if I do get a unique sport, I'm naming it Eye-gor and when its time you'll get one for naming it. ;-)

tj