Wow, haven't seen one go that far before. Yeah, that was quick! Will be interested in what everyone has to say, also.

It is a viridescent hosta Jo and can lose its coloring quite quickly. It should return next year with all of its full markings. Boy, you turn your back for a bit and look what happens lol!

Other hostas do it as well, my 'Fortunei Albopicta' had a particularly short color season this year, crazy weather.

Its the crazy weather this year. My white wall tire came up completely green this year. I'm expecting it to be fine next year. I wouldn't worry about your G A until you see what it does next Spring.

That is strange. That's why I've been postponing getting one, because I read somewhere that it has a high chance of reverting.

Interesting thread Jo. My Alex Summers and your GA should meet. It's doing the same thing after looking great last year.

It is heartening to hear about other incidents and that I am not alone - I do hope it is just weather related and that it will return next spring in all its glory! For all of us!

As of today, all the first flush leaves are misted over solid blue/green. The second flush is nicely variegated. These pics were taken a couple/few weeks ago.

I have never seen a Guardian Angel that reverted to solid blue.

As Peren.all explained, it is viridecent and comes up distinctly variegated then eventually progresses to solid blue or very minimal variegation throughout the season. The timing of the colour change really depends on where you live and where you have it planted.

Vanessa

Mine never reverted to a solid color. Here is mine this morning in the morning sun. It is in shade after 12:00.

Thank you for the additional feedback!

Bernd, I've never seen a fully green one before! Nice to see a different perspective of it. How old is it? Thank you!

Don, I sigh every time I see your pictures... extremely lovely!

> I've had this hosta since 2013 (potted) and this is definitely a surprise/an event to me.

> Acknowledge that it is viridescent - not a surprise as I honed up on it after I got it - I checked with my neighbour (donor) lately and hers is growing beautifully and showing the wonderful markings.

> Last year, and the year before, mine held its colours right up to dormancy - it didn't get darker than the August picture above.

Whether it is weather or pot related, I guess I'll be waiting in anticipation for next spring. Regardless, there is something about it in its present state that makes it stand out from its neighbouring hostas... a quiet but heavenly Angel.

If anyone else has anything to add or post pictures of their GA in its current state, I'd be happy to receive them! :)

i just watered potted hostas and said a closer hello to GA... it isn't entirely a solid colour on most leaves. I can't achieve the clarity required (with iPad) to illustrate what I see...but there is some subtle variegation there. Today...5,7&11 o'clock have variegated leaves.

With maturity, the older leaves are said to expand and flatten...as mine have done. The division was from a mature GA. All suppositions on my part.

Gary and Mbug... I guess the three of us will be updating and trading notes on our respective hostas next spring? :-)

Don, I'm looking forward to seeing yours again in spring as it heads towards maturity. What year did you get yours? 2013 as well or 2012?

2012, Jo.

Thank you, Don. Wonderful growth since then!

I have two GA's and one began reverting last year, 5 years after planting them both. Waited until this year to see how it was doing and it was definitely going BA on me. Since I already had one of each and it was in a bad spot, I yanked it.

Mine came up in 2013 solid color. The year before it had its variegation, and in 2014 and this year it does. Stress might be a factor, since it was moved in 2013 from Ohio to Michigan and it took me a couple of weeks to get everything in the ground. The hostas at the time of the move were starting to come out of dormancy and unfurling.

Well, I was going to show you photos but apparently I can't upload photos.

Karen

Here's the one that remains. This and my Blue Angel are my two oldest Hostas, aged 6.

Newer leaves on mine show color while older leaves are a solid blue I also have an Angel Eyes that holds its color a little better.

Karen, I think there are tech difficulties affecting some postings. I have also had random problems starting a new thread, contacted Houzz and am awaiting a reply. Would have liked to see your photo. Thank you for trying though. :)

Hostatakeover, what a fine specimen you have of Guardian Angel. It's a perfect one!

Junco, that is a beautiful close-up... as is the colour of your GA. Is it just this year that the outer leaves remained blue?

Josephine, mine is also 6 years old. I have another of same age which only grew half the size, gets little direct sun and keeps the variegation longer.

I was surprised to see the difference in your GA from last year Jo. I hadn't been aware that GA could or would revert.

I have four GAs. I purchased three (one or two eyed) in 2013. I have found them to be slow growers. The fourth one I got this year. Two from 2013 have quite good variegation right now and the third one from 2013 is not as variegated. The one I got this year (couldn't pass it up as it was a good deal, I think) is quite dark but there is still some variegation that can be seen.

I tried to get pictures the other day but had taken them when it was too late in the day. Here is one of them from 2013. This one has been really slow---still one eye as it was in 2013!

Bernd, maybe I gave mine too much sun from the beginning of the season and the sun washed out its colouring?

NHL, that's a pretty one! You must really like it as much as GE to have multiples? Lol. It is amazing that the slowpoke still hasn't gained extra eyes!

edited to ask:. are any of your previous GA's planted or are all potted? Have you tried repotting the slow one in fresh media?

Josephine, mine always starts out variegated, but as the leaves age, they turn solid blue. Usually the newer leaves in the center maintain variegation throughout the whole season.

Yours hasn't reverted, it just didn't color well. This happens with stress whether it is from being potted or maybe too much sun, but the variegation pattern is still there, just subtle, so it hasn't gone back. I would find a home in the ground and I bet it will be back to normal next year. I've seen this happen several times, even with rows of Guardian Angel that were all seemingly treated the same, so it isn't that unusual.

And reversions back to a solid blue-green plant are possible, too, but those usually start out just one eye at a time and the reversions grow larger and faster than the rest of the plant.

So glad to read your comments, Chris and to know that my GA "didn't colour well"... operator error! :( well, I won't let it happen again, at least not to GA, lol.

I will find a place in the garden for it within the next couple of days...some morning sun only. Thank you also for the comment/reminder regarding reversion - I should have remembered (I've had to remove a few blue eyes from a couple of June's- can never remember - sport or reversion...reversion, right?.

So nice that Chris commented on GA and it's coloration. Now I have a better understanding about what can happen.

I can't say that I like GA as much as GE (yet). I got multiples because I was able to get them at a reasonable price and thought it had the "potential" for me to like it a lot. All four of mine look different and all are potted. I did repot my "slowpoke" this year. Hopefully next year I will be able to get at least one more eye out of it!

I also like the name. I am considering giving one to my sister and my best friend. Each have battled cancer recently. I like the thought of them having a guardian angel in their gardens. Now I just have to find out if they feel the same way!

I have photos of two other GAs that I have, but the site will not let me post. Oh well.

I tried the photos again and got this photo to post.

Finally got the other to post! Geesh!

They are lovely and I like your heart-felt sentiment...I'm sure your sister and BF will be touched, NHL. Thank you for posting the pics.

Just a guess Jo, but has the foliage above the plant filled in or the location changed to a more shaded location prompting the greening? Since you have it potted why not try moving it into more sun?

Jon

Yes to your question, Jon ... Last year it received all morning sun until around 1:30. This year I placed it under the dogwood tree where it received some direct morning sun which diluted to dappled.

It has been so hot here, with no let-up for another week...high 80's to 91... that I am leaving it where it is for another week or so - then it will be planted. I'm okay with it the way it is with the subtle (you have to look for it, lol) variegation. Thanks for the suggestion, though - I had moved it about a month ago into more sun ;-) but I missed the boat you could say! Lol

A reminder that you don't need Jo, but maybe helpful to others. Too much green is due to added chlorophyll the leaves produce to better photosynthesize carbon dioxide into plant matter and oxygen. If exposed to more sun the need for chlorophyll is reduced and ergo the green recedes.

More sun, the lighter the coloration of the leaves; larger margins. Less sun, more green. This is why hosta turn green in the Fall as daylight decreases.

I'm sure you will try to get back to the sunlight you had success with last year during next season.

Use a screen, more green.

Add some light, nice and bright.

I apologize, it was the best I could come up with.

Jon

I separated an all green part of a GA and planted it near the edge of the woods. the next spring it came up looking like a normal GA as seen in the photo below.

Jon, you're the best and so's the best you came up with!! Thanks! ;-)

Squire, both gorgeous GA's! I'm glad the one planted near the woods edge came back normal! Love the fullness of pic two. This is a beautiful hosta.

Just thought y'all would be interested in the colour of GA this year! As some of you had suggested, it has returned to normal this spring and am I ever happy to see it!!!

I am glad I procrastinated about planting it instead of leaving it in the pot because now I know that having it in the pot wasn't the reason for its lack of colour last year. Instead, I remembered some of Jon's comments... "add some light, nice and bright"... and placed the pot out in more light from the get-go (and where it had the most pronounced colour in previous years. YES! Pretty so far, yes? ;-)

Mbug, how does Alex Summers look so far?

Squirejohn, how does your oldest GA look this year? Still less colour or has it regained colour?

NHL, is slowpoke catching up yet?

To everyone else, Is everything "normal" on your Guardian Angel this spring?

Glad to see it is back to normal for you this year!

My GA came up with only two eyes, as opposed to four last year, BUT, the two that are coming up are quite huge. It mat even be biggest than last year, So with that I'll maintain there's no setback. We'll see next year, I guess.

Thanks for asking about my slowpoke Jo. It finally has graduated to three eyes from one, but looks like it is doing it reluctantly! Glad to see your GA is now behaving normally! It's very pretty. Here is the slowpoke. Photo taken today.

Ooh, love the colour! I guess it decided to get a move-on, lol. Good!