Mine are already having sex. Thunderbolt's got opened flowers. I was so amazed I didn't even take a picture.
Kathy

Well, alrite then!!! Que the funky 70's music...

Don B.

Yes FA nearly fully out here too, I have two, one in season two and the other in season one and the baby is well behind the other.

Goober and Guacamole were really slow in emerging also Jewel of the Nile was slow, which is not showing any variegation at all, does it appear later or do I have a Dee's golden Jewel?

All in all they were up fairly early and the weather was warmer in april that now in may so that may have slowed down my stragglers. Generally it has been in the low teens celcius this month. It has also been very wet and sluggy!

Denis

You guys crack me up - another late night, loud laughter! Thanks a bunch!

My JCC looks amazing with those looong leaves, some still unfurling but looking good.

Made You Look is "afraid to look" because it's just creeping along, very deformed looking but growing at least, lol probably crack a mirror it's so ugly right now.

Francee was the very LAST one to emerge last week and already you can see at least 5 leaves with more coming..they are taking on size at a fast clip with the nice weather we've been having.

Barbara Ann is slowly unfurling but I knew days ago it's her for sure now.

June Spirit is a streaker for now. Will see if she evens out her centre as she grows.

I think everyone else is awake, some have been party-hardy for a month already and drunk with happiness at all this warmth.

Thanks for asking, Guacamole Don! TMI? Lol lol lol

Jo

TMI? Nope. Enjoy your weekend, Jo. Talk to ya later. : )

Don B.

Not sure about your Jewel of the Nile, Denis, but that is a good question. I'm sure you'll get a good answer soon. Don't own one. Sounds interesting, though, and the variegation is GREAT, when it's not trying to turn LOL at least I've heard that a lot on this forum.

Don B.

Denis, I bought three Jewel of the Nile two years ago from Bali Hai nursery.
Last year two showed the correct coloration and one reverted to Dee's Golden Jewel. Mine were behind the rest in unfurling and it takes a little while for the edge to show. All are looking good, will try and post some pics in a new thread over the weekend if I get the time. Seems we might get a few days of dry weather and I need to get outside with the machines and get some of the grass cut. It's been great growing weather for hostas but the grass is out of control and the goats won't come out and graze whilst it's raining !

Dave

You have goats that clear your lawn in good weather, Dave? How cool is that?? I love it!

One of your WHOLE plants reverted to Dee's Golden Jewel? Wow, that is quite unstable, but nothing I haven't heard, that happens with that cultivar quite a lot, I guess.

Off the subject (but it's my post, so) How is Child of the Queen doing? Very interested in that one, any updates would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Don B.

Don, that's fields the goats have to work on. The lawn is down to me and the mower.
I will try and post pics of Child of the Queen over the weekend.

Dave

I've not done a proper roll call but, offhand, I know of three late sleepers...El Nino, Fragrant Blue and Fuji Botan. These are front yard hosta that get more sun but were under large piles of snow. (I recall that Fuji Botan was the very last host to emerge last year.) Haven't spent much time back in da' woods to check for laggards.

(oh yeh, my Fuji Botan is one of the duds...the flower buds don't open. I bought it specifically for the blooms so I need to dig it up & get rid of it before it gets any larger.)

What I have noticed in the woods are some nice surprises. Several of the tissue culture hostas that I bought in July & August 2011 have leaped/ leapt? and have multiple pips...June, Autumn Frost and Inspire Greatness to name a few. Now, I wish that I had continued to buy TC's in subsequent years so I could bask like a proud new parent every year! Not that the Instant Gratification of buying more mature hostas is a bad thing but I realllly like the sense of achievement in seeing my once tiny little TC's grow up!

Whirlwind and Moonstruck are just unfurling, but everything else is up and growing. Some are putting up scapes. Not sure what going on with those two, they aren't supposed to be late risers.

I have a pot on my porch that is mostly pips, maybe a small leaf or two unfurled. I walk by that darn thing 10 times a day, wondering which one it is, there's no marker on it.

It's driving me crazy!

Gesila

I think the worst slow poke in my garden has to be Risky Business..not even close to unfurling yet.

Don,for me,it has always been those of Tokudama heritage. I have Tokudama FC,Bright Lights,and Heat Wave. Bright Lights always shows up so late that I think I lost it over the winter! All of mine are up now,however. Phil

My very last to show up is Praying Hands. It looks really unenthusiastic, perhaps it is just reacting to the bad vibes it gets when I look at it and think out loud that if it didn't show I could replace it with something more willing. Many of the others doubled in size when I was away for three days and didn't talk to them.
Jan

FA is also a slow one for me, but my last one is always Mountain Snow. It's finally open.

Thanks Don & Dave,
Good to hear that the edge takes a while to show, That's the kind of info that you can't find anywhere else but here. this was a bonus plant from Bali-Hai late last year and had no leaves so can't say anything more about it, Interesting plant but not sure if I could be bothered digging it up to remove the solid eyes each year so either way I'll be leaving it to its own devices. I would be interested to see some pics of yours.

I am trying to keep on top of the grass too, just got a ride on so it will be a bit easier this year with my garden expansion and with my sister's lawn next door. So much faster with the ride on but not as much excercise!

Denis

I won't throw anything like a hiccup into this discussion, but ......

I've got to ask Ken a question. He says that hosta generally bloom at the same period regardless of north or south location.

Okay. But......

Here you have Fujibotan just emerging, and I'm watching scapes grow on it. Not a dud here, Ci. It bloomed last year like a champ. It had about 7 scapes and the double tubular blooms (fairly soft lavender) bloomed nicely. No seed pods.

So Ken, what happens with the plant still emerging in WI and CO but ready to bloom in short order in (south) Alabama?

Can you give it more light, CI? Even afternoon up in WI might be less intense than morning here.

Wow, your Fujibotan is rolling, Mocc. Mine doesn't want it's buds to open either; but since I like the overall look of it, I'll keep it and keep trying to get those buds to bloom.

Don B.

montana
looks like i lost all my goobers
only one lemon lime came back
one of my faves, twilight, both bit the dust
my huge bouquet of blue angels is down to two eyes
lost several varieties of mouse ears
i am sure the list will broaden

Paradise Power was by far the latest for me, quite a while after On Stage, the second latest. PP only showed itself a few days ago and is nowhere near leafing out. Almost all hostas are leafed out, even those in the cold shade of the garage.