Pic of the Day--Black Hills

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Hank Zumach
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Pic of the Day--Black Hills

Post by Hank Zumach »

Hi All--Every once in a while we hostaholics break into discussions about which variety is the largest, bluest, most unique, etc. I don't think I have ever been around a discussion of which variety is the slowest growing. Based on the plants in our garden, I would say the title of "Slowest Growing Hosta" has to go to Black Hills. Zilis lists it at 48x22 while Wade & Gatton list it at 50x30. The photos in the Hosta Library are showing plants smaller than those kinds of measurements. My plant was a gift in 2001 and had a size of 15x6. In 2002 (1st pic) it was 16x7, in 2003 it was 20x8 and in 2004 it added another inch of height to go to 28x9. At that rate of increasing 1 inch of height per year it would take 25 years to reach the size listed by Wade & Gatton. Hostaphiles have to be patient but...... Finally, in 2005 it "leaped", sort of, to 36x16 and in 2006 it was 41x14. By my estimation, the plant does not pass a 5 foot rule, let alone a 10 foot or 20 foot rule. It has been free of slug damage. The pix are from 2002, 2003, and 2006.

Registry - http://www.hostaregistrar.org/detail.ph ... ck%20Hills
MyHostas - http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/Black+Hills
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/b/blackhills.html
Black Hills 6-26-06c 028.jpg
Black Hills 6-26-03c 032.jpg
Black Hills 6-24-02c.jpg
Hank
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MikeWI
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Post by MikeWI »

this one was a sleeper for me too.... when I had it (sold it to a couple... through in the house too...). Had this hosta for years and years.... with no....notice of it... then one year.. about same range as Hank... It leaped... It also got darker... or maybe just more of it to view made it look darker...

I've not replaced it.... i see it every so often at a nursery and usually pass it up. would love to see it sport wo a white edge or streak... but that's about it.
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Mary Ann
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Post by Mary Ann »

Mine was purchased in '02, growing great for me, not very black though.
June 14, 2006
June 14, 2006
BlackHillsL6.JPG (42.3 KiB) Viewed 5302 times
BlackHills.jpg
BlackHills.jpg
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jgh
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Post by jgh »

The Black Hills of South Dakota are ancient mountains. For the most part, they are weathered and covered with forests, primarily Ponderosa Pine. They aren't spectacular like the Rockies or Alps... but they are quietly beautiful - a restful beauty.

I think H. 'Black Hills' can provide the same enjoyment in the garden. It's dark color isn't black... its the dark green of the pine forest. I guess it wasn't a fast grower for me... but it has been dependable. I have a couple growing less than 3 feet from a 24" diameter old spruce in deep dry shade... and they just keep coming up and providing a restful dark green to blend with some of the more showy hostas around them. I also think the pics demonstrate that it has very nice leaf character... good puckers.

I don't know if Hank remembers... but everytime he posts Black Hills we have this "disagreement." I may be letting sentiment blur my objectivity a little... BH was one of my first batch of tc that I grew on to maturity... still, I think BH is a good hosta and serves a good landscaping function.
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thy
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Post by thy »

:-?
Do not know, but this day I looked at a pic of it,, dark, low sort of creaping to the grond... and i liked it for a spe´sial place...
So is it dark sórt of creaping or ... pics are so different on this one :wink:
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druff
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Post by druff »

thats kind of interesting. its a hybrid from green gold which has grown fast for me. i guess it didn't get moms vigor gene.

doug
Mary Ann
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Post by Mary Ann »

:lol: Jim. I have Blackfoot too, it's bright yellow. So much for names. :D Thanks for educating me.
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Hank Zumach
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Post by Hank Zumach »

Mary Ann--I think I should print off a copy of your first pic and stake it in front of my plant so it will know what it is supposed to look like when it grows up. :lol: Yours is a beautiful plant.
Hank
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Mary Ann
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Post by Mary Ann »

Well, thank you, Hank, I value your judgment. :D
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ademink
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Post by ademink »

All of Mary Ann's pics are gorgeous! She grows some mean hosta and takes great pics! :bd:
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caliloo
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Post by caliloo »

Agreed about Maryann's hostas and her pics. both are great!

I saw Black Hills for the first time at a display garden last year. OMG it was huge and puckery and dark bluish green and almost black deep in those puckers. It was gorgeous.

I had to have one.

This one was 1 tiny eye last year, this year it is 3 good sized eyes and a little one. It seems to be happy here, so I hope it grows up huge and puckery like the one I saw last year.

Here it is....
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wzbt03
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The exception

Post by wzbt03 »

The exception to the slow growing rule is this one I picked up in a quart pot last June. It was root bound and I divided it into three plants.
This is a shot tonight and as you can see, slow growing does not describe it.
Black Hills.jpg
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renaldo75
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Post by renaldo75 »

WOW!! :cool: You got a good one!!
GO HAWKEYES!!!

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eastwood2007
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Post by eastwood2007 »

I was a little saddened when I saw Black Hills in Loser's Lane as I just acquired mine last year as a single eye. However, since the freeze, it has come back with about 6 eyes! So freeze was a good thing for that one, maybe...
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newtohosta-no more
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Post by newtohosta-no more »

I got Black Hills several years ago and loved it! I still love it, but just like Hank said...it grows slower than molasses in January! Mine is still about the same size as when I purchased it, but it might be having some root competition causing it to slow down. I don't know why I don't have a pic from the last several years, but here is the pic I took when I first purchased it. It was very dark then, but now it's not quite that dark. :???:
Black Hills.jpg
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rufie98
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Re: Pic of the Day--Black Hills

Post by rufie98 »

Took this photo at a private garden I visited this year. I thought it was a lovely hosta. The leaves were wet due to rain.
DSC03074(#2).jpg
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