Looking for recommendations on Hosta with Very Large Leaves

14 years ago

I'm trying to find a good slug resistant hosta with variegation to order for next spring. I want to pot up in a half barrel. I need the slug resistance and would like on with "stand out" colors, such as blue with gold margins, or green with gold margins, etc. I basically want it to "pop"! I do want the leaves to be really large, and something that draws the eyes. I don't care if it reaches 60 to 80 inches wide in the years to come.

I was looking at Made in the Shade Gardens site and was looking at Sum of All and Super Nova maybe.

Any suggestions?

Comments (20)

hosta_freak
14 years ago
How about Earth Angel? It doesn't have really huge leaves,but can grow into a giant in a few years,and it certainly has "pop"! Phil
kentstar
Original Author
14 years ago
ooh! That IS nice! OK, that's on my list :) Nice variegations too!
Thankyou hosta freak!
florabundance
14 years ago
I saw Sum of All the other day amongst ALOT of hosta... and that one does certainly pop! It is now on my list of wants.
tomahawkclaim
14 years ago
Consider Jewel of the Nile, also.
donrawson
14 years ago
I don't recommend Super Nova because of spring dessication burn.
idiothe
14 years ago
Check out Victory... a margined sport of Elatior... one of Bevie Schmidt's pictures in the Hosta Library starts to give a sense of how attractive and huge the leaves are...

Here is a link that might be useful: Victory in Hosta Library
kentstar
Original Author
14 years ago
Thankyou for all the recommendations. I now want them all lol!
I am going to pot up in a half barrel. I'll probably have to order for spring shipping as it's getting late in the season here in NE Ohio. But, I'm really tempted and am by nature very impatient :) So, we'll see.
Janice
14 years ago
OOoohhhhh--JOTN would be AWESOME in a barrel!!!!

I've got to try that!!!
kentstar
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks all! I went and ordered Jewel of the Nile, and already have the half barrel filled and waiting! It is sunk in the ground about 2 inches (that's as far as I could dig in that hard, hard ground! I think it will look gorgeous! Thanks for the pics and suggestions.

kentstar
amhodge
14 years ago
Bodacious Blue is one of my favorite big leaves.
woodthrush
14 years ago
Janice, this is all your fault! I figure with barrels, yes I can now grow hosta on the driveway - lol. I can already see it lined with giant hosta in barrels.
Pam
kentstar
Original Author
14 years ago
I saw a nice barrel today at my local nursery, but they want $30 for it! Maybe next year! I have a somewhat smaller barrel that I bought at Lowes that may suffice for now. Maybe if I protect it like I would a rose? Mound soil around the pot, cover sides with chopped up oak leaves?
Janice
14 years ago
hehehe--I love my job!!!
garden_crazy
14 years ago
I planted Day's End last year. I can't say it's a fast grower so far but the leaves are HUGE! -Green with gold margin. -Slug Resistant. Also love Parhelian -Which is a great grower with huge leaves -I believe a sport of Sum and Substance -yellow leaves with thin white edge.
kentstar
Original Author
14 years ago
I think, since it's getting too close to fall I should plant the hosta in the ground somewhere (yeah where? no room lol) and dig up in the spring and pot it. That'll give the hosta time to grow stronger next spring and summer before subjecting it to life in a pot in NE Ohio winters!
What do you all think? Sounds like a better plan to me than risking a BABY hosta to frigid temps this winter in a pot.
I could always use the barrel this fall for mums or something lol!
kentstar
Original Author
14 years ago
I moved Blue Dimples hosta over to make room for JOTN. I figure this way, if it stays variegated great, if not and changes over time to yellow, so what! It will still look great next to the blue hosta "Blue Dimples". I will probably put annuals in the 'barrel' next spring instead, or at least until I can afford the true "WINE BARREL" I saw at my local nursery, which was much larger! I wasn't ready to pay $30 at the end of the season for the barrel! JOTN should be here tomorrow. Yippee! I get another Christmas present!
peggy_hosta
14 years ago
I bought some minis early Oct. of 2008 and I left them in their pots but planted them- pot and all- in the dirt like you'd normally plant a hosta. Then mulched, of course, when ground was frozen. Then this spring, I dug them out of the ground, took them out of their pots, & planted them in their permanent spot and all are doing well.
almosthooked zone5
10 years ago
I just love the ones with the large leaves. Must be why I chose all the plants before realizing just how big they get. Oh well, if they grow too big for my area there are always room for pots or less lawn. I just saw the picture of Bodacious Blue and it is a real beauty
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
hey hooked...

how did you find this FOUR YEAR OLD POST ...

what.. you down to page 60 of the old posts????

lol

ken
almosthooked zone5
10 years ago
Ken You have to be kidding.. I can barely get through the existing posts of the day present. I was looking for something on the internet( don't reall what) and this came up so I clicked on it. It may have been refering to the large leaves of the B Blue . I suppose you have them all with the room and experience you have? Darn rains , new compost, lots of weeds, lawn cutting and housework keeps me fairly busy besides my attention span seems shorter now lol

Faye