Empress Wu

[Quiet Storm]

I thought I asked this before, but I can't find the previous post. Does anyone have Empress Wu? If yes, how big was it when you got it and how long did it take to reach its mature size? Is it a fast grower? I just got one, a two year old tc plant, and it is small, but very healthy looking, and I was wondering about its growth rate.
Thanks,

[Chris_W]

Hi Gloria,

I was supposed to get some this summer, but my order was backordered until next spring so it will be a while before I have any to try, and then would be a couple more years before I have any experience with it. However if it is like the other giants, they will likely take quite a while to really get huge and will likely benefit from rich soil and constant moisture.

Hopefully yours will grow great for you!

Chris

[jgh]

I got an order this spring... kept two of them... probably the same second year tc you have. I don't know how many mature plants there are around, but I suspect this is the first batch of tc so there will be pretty limited experience with them. You get to tell us how fast it grows! So far, they look pretty good for tiny plants... seem to be happy in the little pots.

Given my experience with other giants, as Chris said, I think we will be waiting years. I'm guessing 7 or 8 years before they reach giant size...

[Minnow]

3 years ago, while visiting Ron Livingston's home & gardens, I met EW! This hosta was potted up in a 5 gallon nursery pot. She stood fully , 4' tall! A giant for sure! Brian & Virginia had just visited & left a trial for Ron to grow. Since I have not been able to return to the Hallson event since that year, I haven't been able to make the treck to Detroit to visit Ron's & check out here growth. I am sure she has spread out from sitting on her A--!

[Linda P]

I just got mine this spring, and I can say that so far it's really been putting on some impressive growth. It was a two-year TC as well.
I can report on some seedlings I grew from the seedpods of the originator's plant. They are the fastest growing seedlings I've ever
had. This is their second summer in the ground, and 3 of the 4 are at least 2 feet tall already. I'm going to have to move them this
fall or they will be all grown together next year. I'm hoping that the Empress herself will show a similar fast growth rate. Time will tell.
Linda P

[Ticker]

Hi, I asked Empress Wu's father how old the plant was in the picture that Naylor Creek had on it's web site and he said that the plant was six years old at that point.... They divided it shortly after that photo was taken.

[Quiet Storm]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I've got a spot picked out for EW, and will report back on her growth rate. Am thinking of potting one division to see how it does in a pot.

[Chris_W]

Hi, I asked Empress Wu's father how old the plant was in the picture that Naylor Creek had on it's web site and he said that the plant was six years old at that point.... They divided it shortly after that photo was taken.

The caveat is that I've seen other plants that Brian and Virginia Skaggs grow and I think their soil must be radioactive or something. They grow some amazing hostas (including some that I simply cannot grow ) but hopefully Empress Wu will be easy to grow in just about any garden

[Quiet Storm]

I would love to see photos of others' EW's whatever their stage of growth. It is hard for me to imagine that something as small as mine is now will (or has the potential to) grow into a giant. I imagine it won't reach its maximum potential size in my shade garden, because it will have to compete with some pretty hefty tree roots. Does anyone know how much sun it can tolerate?

Thanks,

[Hostahaveum]

I have some EW seedlings I planted in Feb. they have been outside in full sun since mid May . I water every other day & they are growing like weeds! So I am thinking if the seedlings can take full sun so can mom w/ no burning. Time will tell ....

[Quiet Storm]

Thanks Hostahaveum. I potted EW and put her in a shady spot, but separated one eye, which I've potted and placed in full sun. Now I'll wait to see how they grow.

[jgh]

Just got my catalog from Walters, a major plant wholesaler from Michigan... they supply lots of hostas for nurseries around the country. They have Empress Wu in their catalog for next Spring at a not huge price - so several thousand of them should be in nurseries in the next year...