Pic of the Day--Sun Power
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Pic of the Day--Sun Power
Hi All--Sun Power is one of the very best gold hosta varieties. Its bright, graceful foliage is a highlight in the garden. I purchased the plant in 1994 and since 2000 it has been growing in a spot that gets about 2-3 hours of mid-day sun. The transplant in 2000 set it back a bit as its size in 2001 was down to 44x22 but then it went 52x27, 52x30, 54x28, and 58x32. Zilis lists it at 70x28. For me, Sun Power has been a very good producer of seeds and seedlings. Other growers have also had good experience with Sun Power seeds. I mention this because Zilis, in his Hosta Handbook, states that Sun Power "forms only an occasional seed pod." Minor slug problems have been easily controlled. I'm showing a pic from 2005.
Hank
Better Gnomes & Gardens
zone 4B-5A
Latitude: 43° 48' 51" N
Better Gnomes & Gardens
zone 4B-5A
Latitude: 43° 48' 51" N
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- Location: kansas, usa zone 5b
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'Sunpower'
I concur. It's a great variety. Mine, however, sets seed sparsely as Zilis notes. I have used the pollen successfully too.
George
George
Last edited by thehostagourmet on Jan 24, 2008 5:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
George
I really like Sun Power also...enough to somehow end up with 6 of them!!! Its leaves are a bit thin...but that is good for me, as I use them as a "time to water" indicator. As soon as the leaves are less than perfectly upright, I water everything.
I'm surprised some say its not too fertile...I call mine "Fertile Myrtles"! Especially the big one right next to Filigree, Permanent Wave and Maui Buttercups - there is a solid patch of seedlings under them all. A lot look very similar to SP, but in varying shades of yellow or green. Going to have to move them this spring...they are starting to get big and crowded. I got a nice small version of Sun Power as its first natural seedling - looks just like SP, except its only about 10" tall by 10" wide at 5 yrs. old.
wanda
I'm surprised some say its not too fertile...I call mine "Fertile Myrtles"! Especially the big one right next to Filigree, Permanent Wave and Maui Buttercups - there is a solid patch of seedlings under them all. A lot look very similar to SP, but in varying shades of yellow or green. Going to have to move them this spring...they are starting to get big and crowded. I got a nice small version of Sun Power as its first natural seedling - looks just like SP, except its only about 10" tall by 10" wide at 5 yrs. old.
wanda
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I've had mine a couple of years - was a division from a friend. It's growth rate is good. I've not tried to save seeds because it's so large and I have little space for more large Hostas. The only downside is that the leaves catch all the stuff that falls off the Linden Tree nearby.
Ann
Ann
Ann
Pictures of Ann's Hostas:
http://violaann.smugmug.com/Garden/Host ... 361_qL3gHS (SmugMug gallery now updated for 2016)
Pictures of Ann's Hostas:
http://violaann.smugmug.com/Garden/Host ... 361_qL3gHS (SmugMug gallery now updated for 2016)
Sunpower was very large here 3 years ago, then declined. I put a shovel in all around it searching for tree roots 2 years ago, then had Jimmy Mac do the same later that year. (bigger foot, deeper shovel, lol) Neither of us hit nary a root. Finally last year it looked ok early on, but I ended digging it up anyway. The root system wasn't compromised, no signs of crown rot at all. I dug a hole a foot away and moved it.
Anyone else have this happen?? Can this one be a toughie to grow sometimes? Mind you--there's alotta happy hosta nearby, so it's not light, moisture....blah blah causing it.
Anyone else have this happen?? Can this one be a toughie to grow sometimes? Mind you--there's alotta happy hosta nearby, so it's not light, moisture....blah blah causing it.
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Re: Pic of the Day--Sun Power
Registry - http://www.hostaregistrar.org/detail.ph ... un%20Power
MyHostas - http://www.myhostas.be/db/hostas/Sun+Power
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/s/sunpower.html
MyHostas - http://www.myhostas.be/db/hostas/Sun+Power
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/s/sunpower.html
Ed McHugh, Sicklerville NJ
Mockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
Mockingbird feeding juvenile yellow raisons - never leave home without them.
Re: Pic of the Day--Sun Power
One of my very favorite hostas which I planted in 2007 when I caught THE hosta bug. Mine never gets that golden colour as it's planted in shade but it does droop when it needs water as Wanda mentions. I love its shape and upright habit.