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Does Brother Stefan have any unusual planting / site preferences?

linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)

last year

I killed one once, hence the question.

I was at an end of season sale at a local nursery. I didn't "need" any hostas, but that didn't stop me, LOL.

I bought a large Brother Stefan, even though this cultivar might not like me.

When I got home and looked at the place I had in mind (where I dug out a reverted Paul’s Glory several years ago, and needed a new anchor hosta), I realized I would need to move out other stuff that had since encroached on that spot. Plus I already have Cathedral Windows and an Inniswood within a couple of feet, which are too similar.

If Brother Stefan is picky about planting depth or other things (like Great Expectations is), that would eliminate some places.

If it will tolerate 4 hours of midday sun, I’ve got a dandy spot. I had to move out a Blue Angel (currently living in a pot til I figure out some other shady place) after a neighbor cut down a tree.

This and Praying Hands are the only ones left to site.

Thanks for your help.

Featured Answer

miles10612

last year

last modified: last year

This is my Brother Stefan with astilbe in front, Kiwi Full Monty on the left and Fat

Cat on the right. It does well in a bed that gets sun for about 4 hours and the colors remain vibrant.

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Comments (11)

mikgag Z5b NS Canada
last year
Mine is in deep shade all morning then full sun for 4-5 hours in the afternoon....grows like a weed and the colors come August are perfect
Mosswood
last year
My Brother Stephen is five years old now and finally came into its own last year. Truly amazing and a definite favorite. It sits at the base of an old arborvitae tree with low-hanging branches. What little sun it gets is perhaps an hour or two around 5 PM when the sun is neither blocked by the tree overhead, nor by the sycamore across the street... in short, it can handle relatively deep shade and root competition like a pro.
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newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
last year
I had a Brother Stefan and then it went downhill. It was in a pot. But while I had it, it got a couple hours of strong sun and was beautiful. This was it:

Eventually I started over. One I have put in an area with more sun. Not sure it's happy yet. But most interesting to me is that I planted two one eye divisions in the same area in the garden in 2019. It is a shady spot. Last year, two year's later, they were still one eye, but big! This year I expected the large one eyes to explode into maybe 3 smaller eyes? But they didn't. Both are one eyed Br.St. with huge leaves. I am really enjoying them. Here is one of them:

To compare size, you can see the June on the bottom left.
miles10612
last year
My Brother Stefan is in an area that gets 3-4 hours of afternoon sun 12-4 and has grown quite large. I don't think it's fussy like GE--but I got 3 GE's and put them in a pot last summer and they do well in the pot that is in a shady area. One GE that I had in the ground didn't grow well so I am going to dig it out and put it in a pot as well. BS doesn't need pampering it just seems to do well on its own. I also have a Paul's Glory in the same bed as the BS and it hasn't grown as well there as it does it more shade in my yard. The soil, sun exposure, how much protection from wind that the plants get vary quite a bit in my beds so I am not surprised that the same hostas can grow very differently in each area.
lindalana 5b Chicago
last year
This one has some dappled light and late evening indirect light. Had only 1 move from pot to planting site.

The other one that was doing well in previous house near the road ended up double transplanted and probably tad too shady...
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked lindalana 5b Chicago
djacob Z6a SE WI
last year
Linnea56, Blue Angel is on the sun tolerant list, so that may help you situate it in a new spot.

debr
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
last year
djacobz568sewi, Blue Angel completely fried where I had it, with mid day sun! When the tree was cut down last spring, I gave it time to adapt. But this year it looked just as bad. All the edges crispy. I think sun tolerance varies. My Liberty gets much more sun, and looks terrific.

I've temporarily potted the Blue Angel. It's made a nice recovery. But I have no room to store another potted hosta over the winter, especially not a big one / big pot. I'm still thinking about where it could go. I have no room free for a big one, not without moving a lot of stuff around.
miles10612
last year
Can you just cover it with leaves in the pot and then put a plastic tarp over it for the winter? I used pots last year for the first time. I have an old play structure my kids used years ago with a raised floor a foot off the ground-the sides are completely open. I put my hosta pots on that and covered each hosta pot with leaves and then put a large tarp over all of them. I had a dozen large pots/saucers and everything came through the winter ok. I am going to do that this winter again. Chicago is probably has the same weather as we do. In fact, last winter you even got more snow so that should have insulated your ground. In the Cleveland area, we didn't get much snow until January and February and had some very cold days in December.
djacob Z6a SE WI
last year
I overwintered two pots last year. North side of the house, tipped on side (plastic pots) , I covered with a piece of burlap and then lots of leaves. They both survived to my surprise.

I am in Milwaukee, z5b, similiar weather to Chicago.

debra
djacob Z6a SE WI
last year
Linnea56, sorry to hear about BA……..perhaps you can split it, share some with friends or neighbors. Keep a piece for yourself and try in sun again. I have learned most sun tolerants need a couple of years to adjust to the sun……kind of a gradual process. I have used umbrellas and signs to provide shade the first year.

debra

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