Pic of the Day--Blue Shadows

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Jan 29, 2008 1:04 pm

Hi All--Tokudama derivatives are among my favorites varieties. Its just that they take so looong to reach mature size. Blue Shadows is a sport of Tokudama Aureonebulosa that I think is very attractive. Blue Shadows develops a bit more blue coloring than its sport parent but, as can be expected from these plants, it may take several years before the difference becomes apparent. The 2nd photo is of our Blue Shadows, the 1st photo is of our Tokudama Aureonebulosa. Since being added to the garden in 1999 it has been growing in a spot that gets 3-4 hours of mid-day sun. Its measurements for the five years starting in 2001 were 23x11, 29x12, 22x12, 24x12 and 28x16. Lemke's registration information lists the size at 24x14. As with the other Tokudamas in my garden, slugs don't bother this plant.

Registry - http://www.hostaregistrar.org/detail.ph ... %20Shadows
MyHostas - http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/Blue+Shadows
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/b/blushad.html

: Tokudama aureonebulosa 6-25-07c 023.jpg (52.97 KiB) Viewed 4771 times

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Jan 29, 2008 4:04 pm

Gotta love those toks! I especially like that first pic. Very pretty!

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Jan 29, 2008 11:55 pm

Beautiful pics, Hank, as usual. I love the ajuga under the hostas. May I ask...what is that hosta peaking in from the right in the first photo?

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Jan 30, 2008 12:03 am

Charla--That is Mary Marie Ann, a really nice plant. Here is a photo, taken last summer.

FreakyCola · Post by **FreakyCola** » Jan 30, 2008 1:18 am

Oh Hank, you're killing me here! I had the most beautiful Blue Shadows that had gotten pretty big and it just up & died for no apparent reason what so ever. I've never seen one in person for sale since and it's kinda one I'd like to see before I buy so looks like I'll be Blue Shadowless for a while!

I had to laugh when you said that other hosta was Mary Marie Ann, cause now I finally know what it really looks like!

Years ago in one of my first trades I was sent one labeled MMA. I was pretty new to hosta land and throughly convinced the traders all knew what they were doing, but to me, it looked just like all the Undulata Univittatas I had. I politely thanked the person who sent it and thought I just didn't know anything. I even planted it next to an UU so I could see the differences.

Somewhere along the line it came out in the forum that someone had sent someone else an UU labeled MMA, then it was discussed that they looked different & when I chimed in & said I suspected I had UU instead of MMA the sender saw my post & got all embarrassed & apologised like crazy! Someone sent it to her labeled MMA & she didn't know any better.

So I realized then that I might not be getting the named hosta in a trade just cause someone said that's the name. I learned a lesson & your pictures of the day helped me tremendously as I was learning. Thanks Hank!

I like the ajuga too and of course the hostas!
Ellen

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Jan 30, 2008 1:18 pm

Mary Marie Ann going back on my list! I had it there once, then in seeing some other pics, didn't know why, so took it off.

Going back on the list and moving closer to the top!

Thanks, Hank! Just like Freakycola says, your pics are a great help to us!

ViolaAnn · Post by **ViolaAnn** » Jan 30, 2008 10:57 pm

I love these and have both. At least they were labelled as one of each. Tokudama Aureonebuloso was new in 2003 and Blue Shadows new in 2004. I'm growing them side by side so that I can compare them, but they are so similar that I've wondered whether I got a mislabelled plant.

In my case, neither is a fast grower, but they bloom and are fertile. I've had several small Hostas grow up under them, but I'm not really sure which is the pod parent.

: And this is the seedling, also mid July. It keeps a bluish cast all summer and this was the second year after I dug it out of the garden.

: Tokudama Aureonebulosa in mid July.

: Blue Shadows, mid July 2007
BTW, the leaves at the top of the picture are Tok A.

thy · Post by **thy** » Jan 31, 2008 4:50 pm

Glad it is so slow... I want it
No space for no more hostas
But I still just can't stop bying them

Mary Ann · Post by **Mary Ann** » Jan 31, 2008 5:08 pm

ViolaAnn, Blue Shadows seems to have wider blue margins, but mine are about 5 years old.

: AureoNebulosa.JPG (42.76 KiB) Viewed 4556 times

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Jan 31, 2008 8:25 pm

Those are absolutely stunning, Mary Ann!

ViolaAnn · Post by **ViolaAnn** » Feb 01, 2008 8:48 am

Mary Ann - I did a double take looking at the lily overlapping the TokA. Thought it was the most unusual Hosta flower I'd ever seen at first. LOL

Nice plants. I guess I just wait. Mine will be 4 and 5 years old this season.

Ann

Linda P · Post by **Linda P** » Feb 01, 2008 10:30 am

Blue Shadows is listed as an improved form of Tokudama Aureonebulosa, and it takes a mature plant to be able to see the differences, IMHO. I can't seem to grow either of them, or Bright Lights, which is a more yellow version.

Beautiful plants, everyone!
Linda P

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Feb 01, 2008 11:34 am

HI--Linda mentioned Bright Lights. Here is a photo of it.

FreakyCola · Post by **FreakyCola** » Feb 04, 2008 2:08 am

What is the deal with Bright Lights? I've had about 4 & they all died. I have one left & if it doesn't make it, then forget it!

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Feb 04, 2008 1:18 pm

Hi--My Bright Lights managed to survive an attack from some sort of rot and then got sprayed with a herbicide. I'm hoping that it will be looking normal by this summer.

DBoweMD · Post by **DBoweMD** » Feb 04, 2008 2:59 pm

I've had good luck with Bright Lights. Very sturdy leaves, and not a look alike with Tok Aureo/Bl.Shadows.
Good for hybridizing too.

FreakyCola · Post by **FreakyCola** » Feb 05, 2008 1:59 pm

Oh, so you have to spray Bright Lights with herbicide to make it grow! Well, DUH! Actually, I think this was about the first to die in my bed that had southern stem blight. Wow, I bet it had it to begin with & infected the whole bed. That would explain all of them dying since I got them all at the same place.

Don Rawson · Post by **Don Rawson** » Feb 05, 2008 10:24 pm

Now, does anyone have photos of Heat Wave so that we can compare them all? By the way, there are several others that look similar to these (e.g., Boots and Saddles, Abiqua Hallucination, Serene, etc.). Don

irawon · Post by **irawon** » Dec 11, 2012 3:31 pm

'Heatwave' planted summer of 2011. Front leaf got in the way of a ladder. I think I will like this one.

: Sept. 3, 2011

Hallson Gardens

Pic of the Day--Blue Shadows

Pic of the Day--Blue Shadows

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