Well, Leafwatcher, you knocked my candidate out of the race when you said no rodent signs. So no squirrels hauling it off a ways just outside your area of expectation. Maybe later in the year, if this is at your property line, look on the other side of the fence and some of it may be waiting for you to claim it. Let's hope so anyway. I'm assuming you've gently probed the spot where it belongs....but, don't give up YET. I have a few duplicate hosta potted separately. Sitting side by side, one comes up and is leafed out, the other one is barely making a green pip. Just because they are in the same bed doesn't mean that divisions of the same mother plant will all rise together in the spring. I might suggest that another week of warm wet weather will bring it forth if there is any piece of it left.

Thanks for the follow up everyone! There are a couple things I can definitely rule out: Weedkiller (I have a dog with cancer so don't use chemicals) Water: Watered heavily last fall I have 1 of the 3 Montanas that is fine (they were planted together Kabitan; Little bits here & there So I will dig the one area that I had the greatest loss and see if I can "see" what is happening. A couple years ago I had a vole (not a mole like I incorrectly mentioned) and he ate my "Fried Green Tomatoes" hosta PS. My Salutes, Frances Williams, Crossa Regals, Striptease (I am a hosta freak), Elvis Lives, Sum & Substance and all the 25+ others are doing great. Some seem a little thin and that could be the dry fall/winter. But all the ones I lost were in a good amount of shade, even after the leaves went down. I am thinking to that since I can't use chemicals, my yard is probably a haven for underground critters! Fortunately for me, we have a red tail hawk and a couple eagles (along with a red fox) that have taken out every rabbit in the area :) I will let you know what I find when I dig (or don't find!) & thanks!

I'll have what she's having... The library has two sets of letters, capital and lower-case.... The capital letters have the normal library stuff, descriptions, etc.... The lower case letters have the other photos you were describing....

Blue Bayou and HU-525254581 and Embothrium, Wow, Thanks for all of your personal experience on the magnolias and helping me ID the Magnolia I grew from a twig! Getting personal gardening experience from all of you is great info and I learned a lot from all of you. And the cat knows everything, but he's not talk'n! Also the people at https://myperfectplants.com have been totally professional, and agree with all of you that the mail order magnolia did appear to be Little Gem and they are sending me a replacement tree. I was truly impressed with how nice they have been and how quickly they responded. I am a very satisfied customer and would recommend them highly to anyone wanting to buy from them. I'm going to give the poor Little Gem the best chance at life in zone 6b in Pittsburgh that I can and will be looking for a little microclimate in my yard, like HU-525254581 did. And blue bayou I saw how big the parent tree of my rooted twig was and I did give it room to grow! Glad to know I will have a big tree in ten years, I'm not so young anymore, and it has indeed been a fast grower!