Well, it definetly has the right shaped leaves for G.A.! Is it particularly hot in the area?

I just ran and took a look at mine, and the bottom-most leaves, that get NO direct sunlight
have gone solid blue-green while the others are dark, too, but still have faint markings that
would make it identifiable!

Sounds like you definitely have the real-deal in your purchase, though! You will love it!

It's an exceptionally...record-breaking, in fact...cool summer here in Central IL this year (70's & mid 80's all year for the most part). Perfect rains all season. Still have to mow the grass once a week all through July & so far into August.

I can't comment on the normal sun/shade patterns on this plant at Hornbakers because I was just there at the moment & didn't take the time to study the tree canopy & how the light would play out.

Good to know yours has turned green. Thanks.

I had to run outside and look too. Agree with Janice on the leaf shape and that it sounds like you did buy GA, especially if you can see the faint markings. You'll definitely be able to tell next spring. I read something somewhere that some of the Guardian Angels hold their color better than others.
Mine still has some markings, much fainter on the older leaves, the innermost ones still have much lighter variegation. We've had so much rain here that GA isn't worthy of a photo today. This is one from spring.

Guardian Angel seems to be a variety that comes out of tissue culture with a wide range of coloration among the plants. Some have very light centers even as juvenile plants, some show only very subtle coloration as young plants, and most are somewhere between these two extremes. The ones that are solid colored should be culled by the lab, but this does not always happen, and occasionally I see a solid colored plant.

After working with a number of these small plants over the last 5 years, it has become obvious that juvenile coloration is the best indicator of mature coloration. In other words, if you want a GA that will hold it's coloration and look great all season, buy a plant that looks very good at a small size. The less showy baby plants will show some coloration in the spring as more mature specimens, but they will never be as showy as a plant that shows excellent coloration at a very early age. The plainer baby plants also seem prone to green up fairly early.

Location will play some part in retention of coloration, with more sun generally producing better and longer lasting coloration, but this is not always consistent. My original GA is in 3/4 shade, with no direct sun, only heavily dappled light. I picked it out as the best colored plant out of a large group of juvenile GA, and it retains it's flashy colors all season, with very little darkening, even in August. The lower leaves darken a bit, but not much, and the rest of the plant shows excellent coloration right through the fall. The second GA I purchased was more intermediate in it's juvenile coloration, and was planted in about 1/2 sun, but it still loses much of it's coloration by mid July. I have 2 more this year that have quite good coloration as juveniles, and they are retaining it quite well so far, in spite of being in only 1/2 sun.

If your GA isn't showing good coloration now, it is likely one of those that will look good in the spring, then fade to a darker coloration by the middle of the summer. The picture of the GA at Hornbakers, which is only about an hour from my garden, looks like Blue Angel to me. GA has a slightly more wedge shaped leave, but more importantly, GA has a distinctively ruffled, wavy edge, shown very nicely in Shade Tolerant's picture. Even those GA that lose coloration retain the ruffled edge throughout the season. The plant at Hornbakers may have been mislabeled, or it may, over several years, have reverted back to Blue Angel, or sported to a solid green plant.

Golden Meadows is another variety that is quite variable in the retention of it's coloration. Most GMs go solid dark green fairly early in the summer, but I have one that keeps some coloration, although it's muted, most of the summer. I've seen a GM that had quite distinctive coloration all season, although again, more muted than in the spring.

Grow your new GA out for a year or two, and if you are not pleased with it, consider buying a new one with better coloration. This is a variety that will be around for quite some time, as it's quite popular and sells well. The price has gotten to a reasonable point, and it's easy to locate. I've seen several on the Hosta Library auction site that had excellent coloration, so if a local nursery doesn't have it, that might be a good source. It is also possible that your new plant is stressed from being potted, and next spring it might surprise you with beautiful coloration.

Gayle, I am glad you are back.
I bought my GA 4 years ago, one eye with 2 leaves, about 3" high, mostly white in middle and medium green varigation. By now it has turned into a monster, at least 3' in diameter. It looks very much like on Shade's picture, holding it's coloration throughout the season. The plant you show above, I would not accept as GA. Like dhaven said, it should have landed in the can.
Manfred

GA is a centered blue angel..

hornbakers is blue angel.. and a really nice one ...

my GA HAS ALWAYS HAD COLOR ...

ken

{{gwi:920474}}

Thanks for all the excellent info. Here's the funny thing to this whole story...

As I said in my original post, I bought this on impulse after seeing the mature specimen. I didn't know anything about Guardian Angel. I was looking for a large green hosta with a certain look for a specific place in my yard. The mature specimen is green!

Now, I'm freaking out because the hosta I planted in my "green area" is probably not gonna be green. I'll let it play out for a year or 2 & see what happens. I already have Blue Angel. I don't need another one.

LOL. Live and learn.
Gayle

Gayle, I'll send you my address & you can send me your Guardian Angel. Wouldn't want you to be stuck with such a horrible, undesirable plant.

I know, I know, it's very unselfish of me, but I insist! I must help out another hostaholic!

:)

Love your Ken.
As I have posted before I never new what the fuss was about this plant. Mine would go green very early. I have since dug it up and put it in the full sun all day to shock it. But I think from what dhaven said makes sense.
I will look for one more with great young color in the spring. I'll try one more time. I hope I get a good one like yours Ken.

My GA always had color too, this is her yesterday.

Here's an update after a year:

Over the winter I decided I wanted Guardian Angel to have it's markings (I originally bought it thinking it was a green hosta based on 1st photo posted & I wanted plain green).

It is with regret to report this spring my Guardian Angel is plain green with no signs of markings. I am in the process of clearing more underbrush out of my 2nd lot & should let in more sun to the area this year.

I'll keep it & let it grow as the terrain & surroundings & light changes.

My current feeling right now is...DARNIT!!!!
Gayle

Do Guardian Angel's keep their spring color? I was very pleasantly surprised by my GA this spring. last year it came to me all green but this year it is amazing, looking similar to melati's with the center being lighter.

So how long does GA keep it's center?

I would take a pic but my camera is currently lost.

I just went out to check my GA's. I have two, divisions of the same plant. One is in a good deal of sun, the other is in a good deal of shade. The one in the sun still has very distinct center color, the one in shade has far less center color.

If I remember right, the one in sun will keep more center color all season, the one in shade will have some, but not near as bold, at least in my case, it would seem that the amount of sun does play a part in center color.

Even so, mine is not as boldly colored as Melati, never was, more like Shade's, but it is at least 6 or 7 years old and has always had color.