I think this was asked before and got no response. In case you don't hear anything, check the website of PlantDelights. They're very serious about hostas and have done a lot of testing and checking with gardeners in other parts of the country, and I think their ratings are reasonably trustworthy. Not necessarily to buy, but to see which they recommend for warmer areas. There are lots and lots of them on their site, and very very few they figure I can grow, but I'd guess you might find more. I just figure, there are so many things I can grow that I couldn't in Nebraska, where I grew lots of hostas, that I'll grow them instead. But good luck--they sure are pretty!

I have had decent success with Francee and Patriot hostas and their offspring, meaing they did at least return every year. They are not nearly as nice as the ones up north. They barely get more than 6 inches tall. They are small and slowly spread. I did move them into pots after last year to see if they did better. Supposedly the better drainage in the winter and the exposure to cold helps. I understand the solid green scented plaintain lily also does well. There is a list of hostas at the Texas agricultural website I saw a few years ago that discussed the ones that did well. I recall guacamole being on that list. You might want to look into gingers intead for variegated foliage. Gingerwood nursery is located outside of Baton Rouge and he ships plants. I have been very pleased with the quality.

Tim Chapman of Gingerwood Nursery usually sells at the Hilltop Arboretum sale. If you're driving to BR for the sale you can kill two birds with one stone.

I live in z8, central MS and have over 25 varieties of hostas growing with no problems. Most of these are over 10 years old. I think the key is lots of shade, they don't like the sun down here.

I live in East Central Mississippi and have decent luck with the following: Alba Marginata (an old timer, but truly the best I grow), Halcyon, Sagae, Sum and Substance, Gold Standard, and June. The secret for me seems to be three fold: lightly dappled shade (mine are under a structure I built that is covered with lattice work), steady moisture in well drained soil, and I put a handful of lime in the hole at the time of planting and top dress with a handful of lime each fall. After Katrina, I lost so many trees that my shade garden was no longer shady. I built the shade structure on the north side of my house, amended the soil, and my plants are doing better than before, partly, I believe, because they no longer compete with trees for moisture. I know a lady in our area who grows Guacamole successfully too. It is a real beauty. I also had Frances Williams this year and it did well. I affirm the remarks about Plant Delights Nursery. I have had very good luck with their plants in the past. They are grown in Zone 7B and the catalog is careful to warn you if a plant won't do well in the deep south.