HOSTA  CONFUSION?

We have been collecting, buying, growing and selling hostas since the early 80s and we love them. Last I looked there were around +8000 registered hostas and many, many more that were never registered. Each summer without fail, gardeners arrive at the flower farm with baskets or bags full of hostas leaves (or daylily blooms) and ask for help identifying them. Here is an example: Hosta Dream Weaver and Hosta Thunderbolt. A casual glance will challenge you to ask which hosta is which.

Dream Weaver

Thunderbolt

Dream Weaver is a sport of Great Expectations and Thunderbolt is a sport of Elegans. Notice similarities---or not---next.

Great Expectations

Hosta Elegans

I would say that 8 of 10 people who visit our hosta display garden and see Dream Weaver, Great Expectations, Elegans or Thunderbolt prefer Thunderbolt.  I guess this is a perfect example of eye of the beholder. My problem has always been that I have one very nice specimen of Thunderbolt and I have never been willing to divide it for propagation. I finally found a source online from a reputable grower and I may spring for a couple-three plants and get some going. In the meantime, make your own choice. Any of these are very nice!

Writing this morning from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the sky is dark, the temperature is 20.1° and the on and off wind is currently at 9.8 mph. We only received 3" of snow compared to our hosta friends in New Jersey. Be well!