Pic of the Day--Lakeside Coal Miner

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Sep 21, 2007 11:12 am

Hi All--Today's variety from our Friendship Garden is Lakeside Coal Miner. The variety has one a number of AHS awards. While I think this is a nice looking plant, it does not have the very dark (one Library description calls it the darkest hosta of all and almost black) leaves that one might expect. I'm wondering if the dark coloring develops with age. Or is my plant a TC aberration? The plant has had a nice growth rate, going from 24x8 in 2006 to 31x11 this year. The registration size is 24x17.

Registry - http://www.hostaregistrar.org/detail.ph ... al%20Miner
MyHostas - http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/Lakeside+Coal+Miner
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/l/la9.html

largosmom · Post by **largosmom** » Sep 21, 2007 11:43 am

That one is filling in nicely!

Laura

jobranch · Post by **jobranch** » Sep 21, 2007 4:59 pm

Lakeside Coal Miner is on my wish list because I want some dark colors. I hope to visit the Lakeside Acre Nursery next spring. Good looking plant Hank.

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Sep 21, 2007 7:37 pm

Some people might want to slap me, but it looks green to me.....Hey Hank, I bet it gets darker the older it gets.....

..

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Sep 21, 2007 9:46 pm

Hi--Mary Chastain posted a reply on the hostapix list in which she pointed out that plants in more sun will be lighter in color and that soil with lower PH frees up more iron from the soil which causes darker colors. She also mentioned the possibility of spraying the plant to get more iron.

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Sep 22, 2007 6:55 am

So Hank? In normal soil it's not darker? Only with special conditions?

Looks green to me too, LG!

What is supposed to be sprayed on it to make it appear darker?

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Sep 22, 2007 10:01 am

I like this one. I like the green shiny ones and this one appears to have some serrated edges. I orginally bought one because of it's name. My Grandfather was a coal miner. Mine was lost this last year over the odd winter we had, so I'm putting it back on my wish list. I'm in no hurry to get it, since I'm having some "space issues", but I will get it at some point in time in honor of my GF.
I think yours looks nice, Hank. I remember mine was dark green, but I had planned on using some Epsom Salts to try and darken it up a bit more.

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Sep 22, 2007 12:53 pm

Jane--There has been a long string of postings at hostapix at yahoogroups.com that you may want to read. Epsom salts was mentioned as one of the chemicals that can be dissolved in water and sprayed. Iron sulfate was recommended as a soil conditioner.

digs57 · Post by **digs57** » Sep 22, 2007 3:39 pm

LCM is, well, a nice rich green. Not as dark as ventricosa or Lakeside Black Satin, or even Canadian Shield, but a good solid green, a good upright growth pattern, pretty fast growing, and dark purple flowers, but if it sets any seeds, it's with great reluctance (none for me so far). It also doesn't seem to like sunlight - I have two, and the one growing where it gets some mid-day sun gets burned leaf edges, while the one in the shade doesn't.

GrannyNanny · Post by **GrannyNanny** » Sep 22, 2007 4:20 pm

I have two or three seedlings from the same pod parent (can't remember the name right now) that are the darkest green I've seen -- darker than my Lakeside Black Satin, for sure. Here is a pic of one of them -- it looks darker "in person", but you can see it a bit here anyhow. All of them have larger-than-normal flowers, but they are not fragrant. Phyllis

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Sep 22, 2007 11:59 pm

My LS Coal Miner is quite a bit darker. I used Milorganite and Epson Salts this year, but no ES last year, and it was pretty green last year, too. It is in nearly all high shade. It didn't grow well this year because of the frost and it was new last year, so I don't know how its location affects its overall performance yet.

hagranger · Post by **hagranger** » Sep 23, 2007 8:51 am

Phyllis,
That seedling is gorgemous!
I have to confess that I still like my Potomac Pride as a "dark" hosta ... most of the L. Coalminer I've seen haven't been very dark ... and I've so limited time anymore that I cand "fuss" with a hosta to get it to darken up ... I like the fact that your seedling is dark without a lot of fuss.
We need those dark hosta to set off the lighter and streaked hosta!
Great work on that one Phyllis.
...Helen

DBoweMD · Post by **DBoweMD** » Sep 24, 2007 8:58 am

Darkest hostas I have been growing are Second Wind, Slick Willie, Midnight Ride, and a couple of my seedlings.
I don't have L. Coal Miner

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Sep 24, 2007 7:57 pm

OMG.... There is a Slick Willie Hosta??? Looking for my Hosta Finder!!

VThosta/daylilylover · Post by **VThosta/daylilylover** » Sep 24, 2007 11:19 pm

There is a Slick Willie Hosta??? Looking for my Hosta Finder!!

Not on MY wish list!

DBoweMD · Post by **DBoweMD** » Sep 25, 2007 8:46 am

Lucy, I immediately thought to myself, My Slick Willie is pretty big and I could probably give a piece to you next summer. Then I thought, well maybe we better not go there...

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Sep 25, 2007 11:07 am

Dave, Dave, Dave....

ckp · Post by **ckp** » Sep 25, 2007 12:34 pm

I agree,Second Wind is a beautiful dark green, and mine gets a lot of sun.

Potomac Pride might be darker but it's form isn't as pretty. Devon Green (Canadian Sheild) has a very pretty form, a pretty dark green in the shade, lightens with sun, one I have in nearly full sun has a olive cast.

Ventricosa has never been more than a medium green for me and they are in full shade. Charlene