What are your earliest risers?

12 years ago

Which varieties come up first for you? With all of this screwy weather I am concerned about things coming up and being turned into hosta mush. Yesterday we got up to 73F. Todays high is predicted at 66F with all next week in the low 60's for the days and low to mid 40's for the overnight lows.

As if we hadn't had enough screwy weather with last years heatwave. Now we have a screwy winter. We need a good long dose of a perfect hosta growing season weather.

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Comments (20)

bkay2000
12 years ago
Usually, it's S&S. This year, it's So Sweet. Invincible is just behind So Sweet. S&S is up, but no leaves have unfurled.

bkay
hosta_freak
12 years ago
Without a doubt,it's montana Aureomarginata. Mine is up about 8 inches already,and this year it came up even earlier. Also,Stiletto,Wolverine, Little Miss Magic,all of the Undulatas,Dark Star,Showboat,Twilight Time,most of the fragrant ones like Fragrant Blue. All of these are up right now,even earlier than last year! Phil
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Johnsp
12 years ago
Nothing coming up yet here in NE Pa. Mine ususally don't begin to show until late April and Aureo Marginata is almost always first.

Scott
esox48
12 years ago
Mine is Choo Choo Train. Sits right next to montana Aureomarginata, both in a prime early rising spot, and beats it every time.
duane456
12 years ago
I'm with hosta freak---montana Aureomarginata-- every year.
Always worried about it getting nipped by a freeze.
Pieter zone 7/8 B.C.
12 years ago
For me it has consistently been clausa var. normalis, the first one is starting to unfurl.

Off-hand, 'Wolverine', 'Stiletto', 'Hacksaw', 'Lakeside Downsized', 'Kifukurin Ko Mame' are some of the others that spring to mind as to having broken and in the cataphyll stage. A good many of the fragrant varieties are swelling nicely, and I'm seeing the same on a few 'Blue Mouse Ears'....spring ain't far off now!

Pieter
Babka NorCal 9b
12 years ago
Every year I can spot the usual suspects:
Spartan Arrow
Invincible
So Sweet
Dixie Chick
donrawson
12 years ago
Here's a list that may be helpful: Early Emerging Hostas
mosswitch
12 years ago
I have an early NOID small green hosta that is always up first, in early March, and it has been up for a week, all unfurled and ready for spring, coming up with the late crocuses. Some wild species thing I'm sure, pale lavendar flowers in May I think. NOIDea where I got it, either! It just showed up several years ago. Maybe a seedling, or a hitchhiker with something else that I planted.

Next is aureomarginata Montana, which is up about 4 inches today. Plantaganea has fat eyes and probably will be next.

I haven't noticed anything else poking up but there is a thick coat of shredded leaves over everything and I haven't been digging around to see.

Sandy
User
12 years ago
Babka and BKay, our hosta selections have many similarities, so I am watching what your plants do.

On the list of early rising hostas, Piedmont Gold is listed, but not its sport, Satisfaction. My NOID is more than likely Satisfaction, and it is the fullest plant to be fully emerged this spring.

All 3 plantagineas are nicely leafed out, so is Fragrant Blue and Lederhosen. It is GORGEOUS!!

My S&S has one eye about 2 inches tall, but I think it will be blowing and going soon, given the size of its root system. I just repotted it today.
in ny zone5
12 years ago
I actually do not remember from last year. My ground is still mostly frozen, so no hostas show yet. In respect to montana 'Aureomarginata', mine is never early because it grows behind tall Arbovitaes and has plenty of mulch, so stays cold. In contrast, montana 'On Stage' you need to plant in a warm spot and not deep, otherwise it always will be late.
Bernd
rob_sneyers
12 years ago
Hosta 'Mieke'; gets frost bite every year.
gayle0000
12 years ago
In my yard:
Liberty is first.
Sagae is right behind.
Couple weeks after Sagae, the masses start.
Dick Ward is always last...so "last" that I worry every spring until he shows up.

Every year I add about 9-12, and the pattern above has been the same for the last 3 years.
Gayle
Pieter zone 7/8 B.C.
12 years ago
This is one my clausa containers today....

Pieter
hostaLes
12 years ago
Two of my most consistant early risers,both here in north-central Illinois and northern Arkansas have been 'Serendipity' and 'Ginko Craig', so I use them to tell me when to remove winter mulch.

Nothing is up yet here in Illinois in the way of hostas, but crocus and daffodil are in bloom. Yesterday we set a new record high at 69F. Last year my early riser broke surface on March 19th. But we had more rain last year. I believe that is part of the formula.

Les
hostaLes
12 years ago
80F yesterday and was doing some clean-up, mulching silver maple leaves on the lawn and adding them to my raw compost bin. I found Blue Angel and Francis Williasms in my Theresa's Angel Garden showing eyes, and Diana Remembered in my Fragrant Maple Garden. No Serendipity or Ginko Craig. Last year the sun rose on my hostas on March 20.

Les
hostaLes
12 years ago
Stained Glass waking up today.

Les
treemon
12 years ago
Montana Aureomarginata, Wolverine and Sagae are all showing their eyes. These are the usuals for me, but I do not believe I have ever seen eyes this early. I guess that's what back to back 80 degree days will do. I also saw some slug trails this morning. Time for some Deadline!

Mark
franknjim
Original Author
12 years ago
My first to poke up is montana Aureomarginata followed by American Sweetheart and Spartan Arrow.
esox48
12 years ago
I decided to pull the leaves back and take a peek at Choo Choo Train this morning. Eyes coming up. Also looked at montana Aureomarginata right next to it. Nothing there. Didn't bother to look at any other hostas because this is pretty early for Minnesota.

What are your earliest risers?

Comments (20)

bkay2000

hosta_freak

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What are your earliest risers?

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