I cab barely tell on most AFTER the leaves open ! hahahhah

I have a Tropicana canna which looks a bit like that soon after it comes out of the ground. But if you have one in a container, you'd know what it was. I wonder if Ilovetogrow/Paula would know. She is very familiar with the big cannas.

I didn't think anyone was going to guess because I didn't see any follow-up postings. So I thought I would put this thread to rest and had decided to just say what it was. So I was surprised to see that hosta freak and Ken had replied. And now I see that others have replied. So to hosta freak---you are right---8,000 plus cultivars is too much to pick from. To Ken---I'm not messing with you! I wouldn't do that! But you did make me go outside to have another look at it. Tsugajunkie---I can see why you guessed Arisaema. But it's not that. Leafwatcher---good one! Moccasinlanding---it's not a canna.

So I will give you another clue:
(1) First of all, remember it is a hosta.
(2) It made it onto Paul's Top 100 Hosta Poll. So that narrows it down to 100 out of 8,000 hostas.
(3) But I will tell you to look at Paul's hosta poll up to the number 65. That actually will bring the number of hostas to choose from down to 80 hostas!

At present it is only about 2 inches in height and has one eye. I only got it last year. I had hoped for at least one more eye this year. I could take another photo in a day or so from a different angle to show you.

If you don't want to play anymore, just say so, and I will tell you what it is. It certainly looks a lot different from my other emerging hostas.

Here is a link that might be useful: 2012 Top 100 Hosta Poll

Just for a fun guess I will say Guardian Angel! Not even close to an educated guess!

I'll guess....I have a pip in a pot that looks really similar to yours. It's supposed to be a 'Sieboldiana' (That was the name on the box of bare roots). So, I'll guess 'Sieboldiana' What did I win?? :)

Don B.

On second thought, my guess isn't even on the list. So I'll guess 'Komodo Dragon'. Totally blind stab in the dark! What did I win??

Don B.

Sorry, but your guesses are not correct.

It's 'Paul's Glory'!!!! Yess!!!

Don B.

Sorry Don, but it is not Paul's Glory. I hope this is not driving you crazy?! (lol) I will have a look at it today and see about taking another picture. Our weather has improved a lot so maybe the pip has changed a bit. I will think of another clue and post later today.

With one big eye it has to be a large or giant hosta, so I'll take a stab at Sum and Substance.

I would guess it to be a Tokudama Flavocircinalis. I can tell you a whole lot of hostas it isn't!

Sandy

I was just outside checking things out, and my Clovelly looks a lot like your pic. Is that it?

No guesses are correct yet. I will post another clue in a few hours. Oh and Don B., I can see why you guessed Paul's Glory. I have one that has some resemblance to this one, except this one is larger. Here's a photo I took today. Measuring about 3 inches in height now.

'Queen of the Seas'?

Don B.

How about Empress Wu
Faye

Faye, I think you got it, actually!

Don B.

I'm afraid the guesses are not correct.

NEXT CLUE:

(4) Go back to Paul's 2012 Hosta Poll and now instead of looking at numbers 1 to 65, look at numbers 26 to 65.

(5) This hosta is not registered as a small hosta and it is not a giant.

Here is a link that might be useful: 2012 Top 100 Hosta Poll

THIS.....IS.....'SPARTACUS'!! Or, is it?

Don B.

Key Lime Pie - one of my favorites.

I have most of the ones on that list....but it's too dang cold to go out there wandering around looking at hosta pips to see what they look like, lol!
Lakeside Paisley Print?
Sandy

Sorry, those guesses are not correct.

That is a nice picture you captured of Key Lime Pie, McTavish.

Mosswitch, I bet if you went out to look in your garden, you would be the one to guess this hosta!

Now if I had more knowledge of hosta, I could give really good clues, but unfortunately I am still a beginner with much to learn. So, ok, so let's do this:

Go back to the hosta poll numbers 26 to 65 and make a list of ten hosta that you think it could be OR make a list of 10 you think it definitely isn't (one or the other) and we will work from there.

I have a nice picture taken of this hosta last year. I will see if I can find it.

Who is/was the winner of this beautiful plant?

I give up :(

Don B.

I went out to look but most of them are too far unfurled to tell, and the rest are still too small to see any sign of that purple color with white ribbing. I give up too!

Sandy

I'm going with Satisfaction. I'm still working on my list of 10.
Fun game

OK I couldn't come up with ten guesses but I have 5 more:
Dancing Queen
On Stage
Goodness Gracious
Orange Marmalade

Beverly

This post was edited by BeverlyMN on Sun, Apr 21, 13 at 10:14

No one has guessed it

As I mentioned, I only got it last spring so I don't know what it should usually look like in the spring---that is, whether it is typical or not. Also, I got it as a one eye, but it was a division off of a mature plant. If Beverly or anyone else wants to keep guessing, then go right ahead and have fun. How about I just keep taking photos of it until someone recognizes it? I have new pictures as I today. The ruler is 1-1/2 inches wide.

And another photo. Of course, there it is in front, left side.

is it Abba Dabba Do

Parhelion? It seems large, although I can't make out a border, but then it hasn't really unfurled.

Bev

No, not Parhelion or Abba Dabba Do.

So here are the remaining possibilities from the hosta poll:

Rainforest Sunrise
Old Glory
Golden Meadows
Elegans
Kiwi Full Monty
Cathedral Windows
Olive Bailey Langdon
Praying Hands
Niagara Falls
Brother Stefan
Gold Standard
Thunderbolt
Lakeside Shore Master
Spilt Milk
Sweet Innocence
El Nino
Blue Ivory
Wolverine
Summer Breeze
Whirlwind
Wide Brim
WinterSnow
Night Before Christmas
Todudama Aureonebulosa
Captain Kirk
Emerald Ruff Cut
Fragrant Bouquet
Love Pat
Alex Summers
Blue Hawaii
Jewel of the Nlle
Francee
Summer Lovin
Frances Williams
Twilight
Inniswood
Dawn's Early Light
Lady Isobel Barnett
Rainbow's End
Allegan Fog
(I have eliminated some of the smalls since it is not a small.)

I think we are getting real close to correctly guessing this hosta. Do you think someone can do that before it unfurls enough to be identified?

Based on the size of that pip poking up, I'd say it has to be
AUDREY

(Little Shop of Horrors.)

That is one HUGE eye.

Still curious - bump
Jan

New picture today. The hosta is now 7 inches tall. Have any of you seen this kind of growth, that is, one or more pips that large? What hosta would that have been? I am curious.

Well, I have this potted up 'Gosan Sunproof'. I just took this pic. One of the biggest pips I've seen in all my many, many hours of experience gardening with Hostas. :)

Don B.

Alex Summers (pretty soon we will run out of options). My last guess.

Beverly

Don B. That is definitely a large, wonderful pip on that Gosan Sunproof.

Beverly you've done it! You have persevered and guessed the correct hosta---ALEX SUMMERS! CONGRATULATIONS! GOOD JOB!

Ha! I DON"t have that one. But it needs to be on my list for fall!

Sandy

I see Sandy. . . so that's why you couldn't guess it. Definitely something to consider for your list.

Oh yes. I uploaded a picture of mine to Flickr yesterday, and commented that it was my first "bonus" hosta ever, and it came from Chris at Hallson. Most appreciated and so beautiful.

Why did I not see that throughout all the posts and questions....well, here is what mine looked like this week.

Alex Summers

And last year....2012...in July. Every leaf perfectamente!

thx

AS is not very stable... you will need to continue to remove that which is not AS ...

ken

So what did Bev win?

bk

Bk, do you have any suggestions? A hosta would be nice, but I can't ship it across the border!

Hey moccasinlanding, great Alex Summers. I too enjoyed it and its coloration. I found it a bit difficult to photograph last year, but that was probably because it was quite large (for a one eye) and didn't have loads of leaves.

I think that a plaque is definitely the required token for this big win (or, at least a certificate with a raised gold seal).

bk

Don't worry about the prize. I'll prize myself with a new hosta or two. Thanks for the challenge. I don't have that many hosta's myself, ~70 named cutlivars. I do have 47 seedlings that are still possibilities though.

Thanks again
Beverly

WINNER!-----WINNER!-----WINNER!-----Beverly---FOR BEING THE BEST HOSTA IDENTIFIER IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!

Hosta cake:

What hosta pips are being used for the above cake?

It is Fire Island. The pips made me think of candles on a cake and hence the idea. Here is the original photo:

I am honored to have this hosta cake posted on my behalf. I would like to thank some of the people who helped me along the way. The Hosta Library, The American Hosta Society and of course, the Hosta Forum of the Garden Web.:)

Beverly

(typo etc)

This post was edited by BeverlyMN on Sat, May 11, 13 at 10:08

Congratulations, Bev on your cake.

bk

Well, yeah, it does look like candles. Good job.
And I approve your acceptance speech, Bev. Well done.

Raining here, 2nd day, lots of new growth I betcha.Predicted at least one more day. DH, wearing a slicker, is out spreading mulch in the beds against the house to keep dirt from splashing up on the white stucco. What would I do without him.