could we see a closer pic of the leaves...

perhaps an after dinner pic.. rather than mid day.. so we can see the contrast

ken

Here is close-up No. 1

Here we are closer still. I tried to show that newly-emerging leaves are in fact green, while those that have been exposed to baking sun from about 12:30 pm until roughly 5:30, when the shadow of the house finally falls over them, are almost white.

I'm also wondering if the brown spots are related. And, related or not, if I should worry about them.

Thanks for the help.

Just my opinion but I love that look - I put my Gold Standard in hot sun to get that very effect. I think its an amazing hosta when it has mostly white middle with a small green line around the outside.

My Gold Standard - still waiting for that "bleached" look

Leaf - doesn't it stress the plant?

LLS, the brown marks are nothing to worry about. It's either sun damage or cold damage. They look the same after several weeks.

Leafover, bleached out might beat that muddy green look mine gets in the summer.

bk

I like the bleached out look too. Gold Standard does it with a lot of sun. So does Maya Tritone, Pineapple Upsidedown Cake, Curly Fries. I think it is a feature of the plants, and not a detraction at all. Just keep giving them the water, and they'll hold up.

One that I have in sun in zone 9a from around noon to 5 or 6 pm, with daily watering when it gets to be early afternoon, is Squash Casserole. And it has NOT FADED. So if you want something SOLID gold, a winner in hot gardens with a long growing season (especially southern), I cannot praise Squash Casserole (and all her sports) enough....I am amazed at this hosta!

4-26-14

and a general shot of SQ location in the garden.on 6-9-14///this is the fully exposed western sun location where she remains today. No umbrella for shade. However, as of 7-23-14, the Lattice Shade Screen is now providing some very "broken shade".

Thanks for making me relax about the sun on these guys, though I guess I better water them once in a while. We've had almost no rain this summer, and I have not watered them at all. I have occasionally watered the new Queen Jospehines that I planted next to them, but I'll be a little more generous with my hose based on your comments.

However, I think I'd prefer a bit less bleaching, so I may move them in the fall, and replace with Squash Casserole. I love your pics of it, Mocc, and like the idea that it wouldn't fade in the sun. I see that Hallson's has it, and that's the only place I'll get hostas from. (Darn auto-correct. It keeps changing hostas to hosts!)

Thanks to all.

that is a true GS ...

and it is in a lot of sun ...

and that is the final color phase ... going to what i call.. parchment in the center ... in shade.. it would be a little less white ...

it will continue to melting out... if the sun is too intense ... or drought.. etc ... that would be the determinative factor.. in my world.. whether to move it ... which would be a heck of a job ...

but on the other hand.. every plant has its perfect time in the season ... and if it melted out in say september.. i might say ... so what.. i am tired of looking at hosta.. and it really isnt worth the effort to move it ...

i like the rest of the view ...

ken

Thanks for liking my Squash Casserole, LLSlipper. It will need water to perform as expected, remember. But what a plant!

I think Ken's comments - about GS's natural "final color phase" and the difficulty of moving them - as well as the overwhelming consensus that I'm not harming them by giving them this much sun, have convinced me to leave well-enough alone, and not move them at all. But now, Mocc has made me think I have to find a place for Squash Casserole. I can live with that!

LLSlipper, as my African grey parrot often says to me, "You are so funny!"

Of course you cannot live WITHOUT Squash Casserole. :)
While we're at it, I have another one to submit will be of interest to you. It is one I got from Hallsons, in fact I went back and got a second one of PURPLE LADY FINGERS. Gotta have some gloves to go with those ladyslippers, don't you.

Mine are coming into bloom as we speak. They have impressive deep purple flowers, and a mound like a Tina Turner wig. In green. It will fit in nicely anywhere I bet.
Here it is in August 2012, first year I had it.

and here in 2014, preparing to have their August display in the pirogue with Princess Anastasia, my tribute to the 94 year old sister, a nun since she was 18, of my DH. Her name is Anastasia, called Anna, we both love her. That is a damsel fly hanging out on this PLF on July 20th

Mocc, YOU are too funny! I think you're right about my need for gloves, and what better than a purple-flowered hosta-glove!

BTW, what do you have for edging in the last photo? Is it holding up a small raised bed? It's lovely.

overwhelming consensus that I'm not harming them by giving them this much sun

==>>> think of hosta as ONLY ... shade tolerant ...

they all grow in sun ...

its just a matter of how ugly they get.. at what point in the season.. based on where you are.. and water ...

the further south you go ... the faster they get ugly ...

but even if they burn to a crisp.. and go dormant early.. they arent going to die ... its just a form of a driveway.. lol ...

obviously.. they have been there for years.. and they have not suffered for the placement... else they wouldnt be trying to swallow that bench ...

moc seems to be having a hard time focusing.. on the subject matter... lol ... but she's having fun.. so who cares... lol ...

ken

ps: all that said.. dont go trying to grow the foo foo ones in full blistering.. beating down sun ... and then tell me i lead you astray .... GS is on the workhorse list ... cant beat it back with a stick if you tried ...

I won't complain if the GS tries to swallow the bench. Trouble is, the one on the left is going to try to swallow the boxwood first, and Nobody Messes With My Boxwood! These boxwood are direct descendants of my beloved Grandmother's boxwood, started with tiny cuttings by my dear, departed mother. GS take note!!

I notice you list your zone as part 6a. I have grown GS in Zone 6 (Midwest), and that much full afternoon sun would just burn up my GS. Of course, we are talking about mid-summers here that often rise to 100 or higher--sometimes for several weeks in a row. Maybe it doesn't get that hot in MA. However, I'd be a bit cautious about growing GS in all afternoon hot sun--unless you like fried hosta. : )

I finally moved mine to part afternoon shade so that I wouldn't have the burden of watering it every single day and still getting singed leaves.

Kate

I have 15 Gold Standards,in different areas of sun. In front of my house,I have two at different ends of the bed,one looks like a 'normal' GS,and the one at the other end is almost parchment. I have another one in the garden,which is darker than any of my others,and I also like that look;so it's all a matter of taste,but your hosta will be back next year,looking 'normal' again. Phil

Luckyladyslipper I have some Gold standards that look like yours. I wasn't concerned because it is still thriving, no burned edges, and the growing leaves in center are emerging green. I am in zone 3 so probably a bit better than the hot sun farther south. This gold standard I am talking about is in the front against the house and gets morning sun until probably 3-4 in the afternoon. Other gold standards in backyard look like what a gold standard should look like.
I have planted a few in full sun to try out but maybe I should have picked old timers instead of the new hostas I just got??? That's probably an ooops. But so far they are being shielded from the hot sun with a few big pots in front of them.
Moccasin I just love that yard of yours with that moss hanging down from that tree. So pretty. What is that tree called? its obviously something that doesn't grow here in Canada.

Michelle

Hi Michelle. Nice to see you back and hosta-ing again on the forum.

The tree you refer to is a camellia sasanqua. I think it (there are two of them about 20 feet apart) is at least 60 years old. They bloom in the wintertime, one pink, one white. They are evergreen, and seed freely with something like rose hips, so I have many seedlings to pull up but not an invasive aggressive plant. I rely on them for my shade in mid garden.

You could grow them up north, but in a container which is moved indoors for the winter, which is when it blooms.

I have several more camellia japonicas, which have the large camellia flowers, also the same age plant, as tall as the house, but they are in the front yard planted at the corners of the house a la foundation, so not as pretty as these which are umbrella shaped.

About two years ago I bought 3 camellia sienensis which are the tea trees/plants, kept in containers until our remodel is completed, when I'll put them in the hosta garden too. I like the idea of having other Chinese natives beside the plantaginea in my now totally walled garden. All I need to complete the scene is a silk dragon embroidered robe and a tea set. :) Talk about playing dress up!

Here is my Gold Standard end of May this year.

and in previous years, it does like this. Notice the new growth comes in true color, a look I like very much. Sort of reminds me of Brenda's Beauty, which is elegant.

This one Sept 18 2013, faded with new growth still.

Moccasin I was gone on holidays for a week. I am back for a few days and then I am gone for 10 days. Then I am back for about a week again and go for another week. Then I am back home and holidays are done until feb-march when I go for two weeks to maui.

michelle

Lucky Ladyslipper, I LOVE your Gold Standards when the leaves become parchment-colored. How are they holding up these days?

If you ever get tired of those and still don't want the aggravation of moving such large established plants, I'll take them off your hands! I'm a relatively new hosta-holic, so I don't have any mature fabulous hostas yet. My mature ones are simple, solid green and basic mildly variegated - both workhorses--can't be killed ;-)

This has been The Year from Hell for my hostas. First the deer and rabbits, who never before showed an interest, then voles, then pill bugs. All on top of a severe drought. Many hostas nearly killed, including one of the GSes. The whole summer has been completely disheartening. I hope you've had better luck, rpwoodard.

Nice to read this old thread again....miss Mocc.