Unknown Blue Hosta

Ed_B · Post by **Ed_B** » Jun 12, 2008 5:08 pm

I have two of these small blues, about 6 years old.
Steady good grower, and the bluest Hosta I have.
Anyone knows what it is?

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Jun 12, 2008 5:17 pm

Hello Ed,

Looks like H. 'Halcyon' to me.

Rob

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Jun 12, 2008 5:49 pm

Lovely blue on those! I'm not good at guessing though.

Ed_B · Post by **Ed_B** » Jun 12, 2008 5:56 pm

Hi Rob
I looked up Halcyon, mine doesn't get that big, or hasn't to date

I would guess the one I have is about "12 inches tall X 20 inches wide", after 6 years worth of growth

dragonfly 64 · Post by **dragonfly 64** » Jun 12, 2008 7:20 pm

That one looks just like my Fragrant Blue. Does it bloom white and smell good? BEV

jgh · Post by **jgh** » Jun 12, 2008 8:00 pm

I thought Halcyon, too... and mine have grown slowly enough to fit the size, too. On the other hand, there are lots of Eric Smith plants from his breeding program that were put into circulation... they can be pretty much impossible to tell apart except by variations in size... look up "tardiana grex" for more possibilities.

I don't think it could be Fragrant Blue, though... FB grows larger as a clump, and faster than Halcyon for me... and it has that distinctive color... some people call it a seafoam blue or seafoam green... not the blue blue of the picture. But BEV, you also mention it smelling good - that is quite controversial. Though the original registration on FB must have thought it was a fragrant hosta (duh!), most of us cannot detect any perfume from FB, or only a very faint one... resurects an old question whether there is a "true" strain of FB that is fragrant, with the vast majority of FB plants looking the same but not having the fragrance...

dragonfly 64 · Post by **dragonfly 64** » Jun 12, 2008 8:11 pm

You are right on the fragrance is very sutle on mine. BEV

Post by **Chris_W** » Jun 12, 2008 9:50 pm

I also thought Halcyon, but then noticed it was a little too small for that. My next choice for the next common blue Tardiana would be Hadspen Blue, but I'm not sure if it really gets that blue. I'll try to get a picture of mine for you later to compare.

There are so many small blue ones that it might be tough pinning it down exactly, but it makes a really nice companion in that group

addieotto · Post by **addieotto** » Jun 12, 2008 10:11 pm

My Sherborne Swift (Smith/Tardiana but not common) gets brilliant blue like that and appears to be around the same compact size but I think the leaves are more pointy and less heartshaped. This does look like a Smith/Tardiana in my completely non-professional opinion.

I have a really really blue Hadspen Blue but I don't think it looks like this one??

Chris is right though, no matter what it is - it's a great looking plant with that group!

John · Post by **John** » Jun 12, 2008 11:23 pm

Looks exactly like my 'Halcyon'. I will say, it took about four years for 'Halcyon' to look like a mature clump, until that point it was much smaller in scale. It is consistantly the bluest of the blues.

Patrushka · Post by **Patrushka** » Jun 13, 2008 12:27 am

I thought Halcyon too. I've had mine for five years and I'm pretty sure it's diameter is 20" or less.

baja220 · Post by **baja220** » Jun 13, 2008 12:55 am

My Hadspen is really blue but it's loosing it because it's in allmost full sun.
You might do a vein count.
Here's mine on April 29th, 10 vein pairs.

Ed_B · Post by **Ed_B** » Jun 13, 2008 6:31 am

Hi and thanks to everyone

I will do a vein count, and I will take some pictures when it is bloom,
I will also measure the the plant, largest leaf, so I can be more precise as to size.
I will also get a close-up picture of a single leaf to give you all a better look at it.

Ed_B · Post by **Ed_B** » Jun 13, 2008 3:58 pm

Blue unknown

The actual size of plant is 12 X 25,
Largest leaf was 4 1/2 inches across X 6 inches long
most leaves were 4 1/4 inches across X 6
10 veins per side

Spider · Post by **Spider** » Jun 13, 2008 7:36 pm

When I first saw the post I thought Halcyon. But I have very limited experience.

jobranch · Post by **jobranch** » Jun 13, 2008 7:54 pm

Here is my H. Halcyon from last year for comparison...

thy · Post by **thy** » Jun 13, 2008 8:16 pm

Fragrant Blue... from the color I think it is FB... look exactly like mine in all day nordic sun

ViolaAnn · Post by **ViolaAnn** » Jun 16, 2008 6:25 am

I also thought Halcyon. Mine is nearly a decade old and is still small and grows very slowly.

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Jun 18, 2008 1:28 am

I'll throw in my 2 cents worth. I think it's a Tardiana, but I don't think it's Halcyon or Sherborne Swift. I have both and it doesn't quite look like either of mine. All of my Tardianas are the most amazing, intense blues this year. Moreso than previous years.

Ed_B · Post by **Ed_B** » Aug 13, 2008 11:06 am

Picture's taken on 8-12-08
The blue unknown has finally come into bloom.
I hope that this will be the last piece needed to make a possitive ID.
The plant has more than held it's own against slugs, if another clue is needed, or can help with ID
Thanks to everyone for all their help
Ed

Hallson Gardens

Unknown Blue Hosta

Unknown Blue Hosta

blue hosta

right

vein count, leaf size, etc

Picture's of unknown blue in bloom