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Giant hostas

WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
in Plants
Has anyone any experience of growing the giant hostas such as Empress Wu, I have the space to grow these and really want to put them into my tropical area. Any advice on which to choose or to stay away from would be great 
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  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Wilderbeast said:
    Has anyone any experience of growing the giant hostas such as Empress Wu, I have the space to grow these and really want to put them into my tropical area. Any advice on which to choose or to stay away from would be great 
    There are no hostas to avoid , except White Feather which is vile. 
    There are some new sports of Empress Wu coming onto the market , some with variegation. 
    Devon.
  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    Thanks @Hostafan1 3 empress Wu ordered from Mickfield nursery, there going bring wow factor (well once they grow that is)
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'd love to see what size they are when they arrive. If you don't mind?
    Devon.
  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    @Hostafan1 I'll send pictures and keep you informed.

    @Hexagon to be honest I was guided by wanting the biggest hosta I could get (well what it should become), current availability and what Mickfield recommended. There very old school with orders being paid over the phone but offered good advice over the phone and a huge range literally hundreds. Not sure on the dimensions on there site but I got the info elsewhere 1st. I didn't think it was too expensive I paid £5 each for a batch of sum and substance and Francis William bare root plants plus postage and they are commonly available.

    Hopefully when they mature they will provide a bit of drama in my tropical area, the wife is less impressed as she loves flowers.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Wilderbeast said:


    Hopefully when they mature they will provide a bit of drama in my tropical area, the wife is less impressed as she loves flowers.
    Plant some Tropicanna Black Cannas . They look great together and your wife will have flowers.
    Devon.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    edited April 2020
    Have a look at this website. It has very good photos of plants, not just individual leaves. 
    I'm not sure if they're delivering to UK now after Brexit, but useful for seeing the plants.

    https://www.hostaparadise.com/Hostasearch.aspx
    Devon.
  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    @Hostafan1 I have my cannas out getting ready in the sunshine, Wyoming and black Knight they were new last year so hoping they give a better display. I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing with them so just keeping moist and plenty of sunshine, got about 20 buckets with tubers so hopefully some will do something 
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    If you have an "Asian" supermarket near you, you could buy some eddoes, ( colocasias ) They're easy and very "tropical"
    Devon.
  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    I did quite fancy them it's just the issue of storage, I might try them as I probably won't be growing so many plants this coming winter so will have more room. Had about 2000 plants from seed and cuttings this winter and then cannas, yuccas, bananas as well, only have a 8x6 greenhouse and some shed space so it quite  a squash
  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    @Hostafan1 picture of the empress Wu received today from Mickfield nursery, 3 bare root plants all 20 inch from top to tail and looking very happy. Can't wait to get them going. I'm now on the hunt for black magic colocasias 
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