Knock Knock...can I come in? An Alabama gardener wanting to just pop in for a minute and ask if anyone here in the Florida forum grows the 'SunHosta' and if there are successful as perennial plants? It seems to have been marketed down there for several years now, but new to the rest of us. Any feedback would be appreciated over in the Hosta forum.
Thanks.

I've never heard of it, Larry. Looked in the database and didn't find anything, can you elaborate a bit on the plant? Is it actually a Hosta?

If it is, most likely I haven't seen it because it's not sold here, but I am halfway down the FL peninsula. Gardeners in Northern Florida might have it. We don't generally get enough winter chill for any Hosta to grow for more than a year here. I'd probably be able to grow it as a foliage plant through the winter months, but then bring it in and keep it in the fridge over the summer to simulate a 'normal' northern life cycle? Ain't happening.

It is not registered, but it is trademarked as 'SunHosta'. It is a mutation of 'So Sweet' and it is suppose to tolerate the sun, and grow year round in zones 10a and 10b. It has a very short dormancy period in warmer zones that have some freezing and is supposed to act pretty much like a regular hosta in cooler zones, from what little info I can find. The big box stores are selling it and I think they are all TC (tissue culture) grown.

Cool, I'll watch for it. It wasn't at Lowe's last night when I was there, of that I'm pretty sure. But they get new stuff in every week, so will keep an eye out.

I've also never heard of it. I was at HD looking around today & didn't see anything that looked like a hosta. Would be nice if such a plant did exist. I have the perfect spot for it!!!!

Well, I bought four that had been left out and froze, they were marked down to $1.00 each, from $7.00. So I was trying to get some feedback hoping someone had grown them. I bought mine at Lowe's. I hate to have to judge them on the four that were in such bad shape, but if they do well and take full sun as they say, I guess that will be even a bigger plus. If they all die, I won't be able to be too harsh on them, being they were in such sad shape to start with. I may go ahead a buy a healthy one when they get them back in just to have a more reliable standard to judge by.

Great, keep us posted on their progress, and maybe a picture if they recover nicely? I'd love to see what they look like.

They have been in the cold frame recovering for the past few days, so far they seem to be getting worse, but I think in a week or so they will turn around and start doing better. They were drowning in the pots with all the rain we had.

Very nice! Looks like you have a good chance of recovery there - what a great buy!

Now to find out if their breeding lives up to their billing, right? I gotta think that variegated foliage might burn a bit in the full sun.

If I get some I'll hedge my bet just a little and maybe plant one in a spot that gets some afternoon shade. Down here, lots of things that say "full sun" on the label really do much better in some shade. I even plant roses so that they are shaded through the middle of the day in the hot months.

Well, I am going to hedge my bets also, but it does say for the white margins to fully develop they should be in full sun, and the plant is produced in Florida. I will plant two in the sun, one in part sun and one with the other hostas. I would love to plant it next to 'So Sweet' being it is supposedly a mutation of it and see just how close the two mimic each others behavior.

As a North Fla. Hosta enthusiast and grower I would say make sure you aren't drowning them.
You might need to put some hydrogen peroxide in water 1/2 cup HP to 1 gallon water. It will put oxygen to the roots and if they were drowning, revive them.
The best I found for my home in Jacksonville, was a Hosta named Guacamole. As a rule Hosta need 30 nights below 30 degrees. Those I loved that weren't going to get that outside I dug and refrigerated.
I divorced Jacksonville and moved to Okeechobee. I will not be growing Hosta here, but wish you the best. Also you are far enough south to where almost anywhere is considered "Full Sun".
You also are borderline able to have a great Hosta garden by just planting them.
Good luck.
Sidney

I do grow Guacamole here along with So Sweet and they do fine, I was just hoping to find some people down in mid to south florida who were actually growing SunHosta, but so far no replies. The SunHosta I bought are beginning to put out some more new growth so maybe they will be alright.

Sidney - so good to "see" you on here. How's life down south? Who is the furry guy in the pic w you?

Being a northern transplant -- I will certainly miss all of my hostas that I have at my IL home.

found this http://www.sunhosta.com

Quite late to this thread but I'll jump in here.

First off --- Heya Sidney!!!! Nice to see you. Why don't you hang out with us a bit more often -- I miss hearing what you're up to.

Larry, I have been hearing about SunHosta since around 2008 or 2009 - thereabouts -- at that time I lived in zone 10 south Fl. I surely wanted some of those! I looked & looked & looked. I inquired & inquired & inquired. Nothing. I searched the internet to find some I could order. Nothing. The subject still comes up from time to time like you just brought it up but I have yet to see a SunHosta for sale anywhere. Big box stores or good old fashioned nurseries.

Well I am the owner of four of them at the moment, bought at Lowe's so I would think there would be thousands of them out there being they are TC grown hostas. Odd no one seems to have seen or heard about them after all that time still.

I know! You would think they would be being sold all over Florida! It's too weird.

I looked at my local Lowe's this past week & didn't see a one.

Maybe if we all start asking for them? I know my local Lowe's nursery manager, and I'll bet she would request them if I said they were available at other Lowe's in Georgia.

I saw some potting mix at HD made just for sun hostas. Didnt see any of the plants tho. I have some regular hostas, I tried a few different kinds, and altho most didnt make it, the few that did, really flourish.