When I first started to think about I's in my garden all I could think of was 'Invincible' but it turns out there's more...








First I is 'Ice Age Trail', which I received about 15 years ago as part of a trade. It had foliar nematodes when I received it but I successfully dealt with those with a bleach bath. It's been up and down with this variety over the years. Of course there have been reversions to 'Big Daddy' and I've had a maddening situation where a nicely center-variegated shoot had developed that reverted back to BD the year after I separated it.



This is the one I lost to reversion the following year...

I do have 'Indigo' but I cannot seem to have any pictures of it, will have to rectify that this year...
Here's 'Invincible', another one I obtained via trade, back in '08.





'Island Breeze' is my last I. The brightness of the center-variegation is lost pretty quickly after unfurling unfortunately. First picture is where I prefer to keep it as well as 'Fire Island' these days, in open shade, no direct sun at all.


Love the richness of the flower's colour, as well their shape!

Inniswood

Indigo

Island Breeze

Ice Age Trail

Inniswood

Invincible

Island Breeze

Ivory Necklace

rv314s said: Island Breeze

Ralph, thanks for participating! I'm not so sure though that what you have here is 'Island Breeze', it lacks the red petioles, the center-variegation is too narrow and the leaves don't have the right shape. I rather suspect it came to you mis-labeled.... and it may well have come from a respectable nursery but I've had mis-identified hostas from Phoenix for example...

Was just going to make the same comment . Not Island Breeze.

Agree that Ralph's plant is not 'Island Breeze'.

I have a few 'I' hostas -

First, a few comments about 'Ice Age Trail'. Mine was new in 2006 and gradually reverted mostly to 'Big Daddy'. Finally, I decided I had nothing to lose and I carefully divided it. I grew the small remaining streaked portion in a large pot for several years and even there it eventually needed dividing again. That time, in 2020, I got these two streaked portions, a section that had white leaf centres (that maybe could be called 'Sugar Mama') and lots of Big Daddy. I call both of these sections 'Ice Age Trail' though they are quite different from each other. And I grew the 'Sugar Mama' for a couple of years and then composted it.
'Ice Age Trail'1, July 24
This one has more white in it.


'Ice Age Trail'2, July 24
While this one is more blue and may soon need to be divided again.


'Ice Cream', July 25
A nice small, fast-growing plant with a creamy margin.


'Ice Maiden', July 8
This was hybridized by a friend and offered as a prize in a photo contest for my most local hosta group. It's a cross of 'Ice Age Trail' and 'Donahue Piecrust' and was new to me in 2024.


'Illicit Affair', June 30 & July 8
This is classified as a mini, though I don't think mine got the message and it grows quite well. It's a sport from 'Cheatin Heart'.



'Island Breeze', Aug. 8
This is, of course, a second generation sport from 'Fire Island' through 'Paradise Island', but because the green margin is wider, it grows faster and better. I enjoy this hosta.

rv314s said: Island Breeze

Ralph, I've done a bit of digging and what you have may well be 'Amalia' aka 'Princess Amalia'. Have a look at it on the HL. While it's difficult to gauge overall plant height from a picture, your plant looks to be taller than 12", which is the ballpark height for 'Island Breeze'. The height given for 'Amalia' looks to be more in line with what I judge from the image: 18" or so.

rv314s said: Island Breeze

Ralph, have look at 'High Voltage' on the HL, it looks to be the best candidate at this point. It might be an idea to take some pictures of the plant in flower as well as close-ups of both flowers and pods. That'll make ID'ing somewhat easier.

Ralph - if you are on FB. you might want to submit pictures to the Hosta ID group. But read their rules first. They are quite specific about what they require in terms of pictures.

PieterK said: Ralph, have look at 'High Voltage' on the HL, it looks to be the best candidate at this point. It might be an idea to take some pictures of the plant in flower as well as close-ups of both flowers and pods. That'll make ID'ing somewhat easier.

Ralph, someone suggested 'Choko Nishiki' aka 'On Stage' as a possibility and I rather think they're on to something but also have a look at 'Hollywood Lights' since it has the somewhat wider margins you see on yours. Look them up in the HL!

I don't think 'Choko Nishiki' is likely. It darkens dramatically during the season. And I think the leaves are broader.
This is mine in early June.


And again in early August. It gets even darker as the season progresses, but we had a bad slug year last year and mine sustained a lot of damage.

I wonder does it fade to white later in the Summer , kind of reminds me of Hosta Happy Dayz.