The Hosta plant has many cultivars: blue hostas that prefer shade, hostas that tolerate brighter and longer light, small and miniature hostas and hostas with fragrant blooms, at least one of which will find a spot in blooming gardens.
Blue Leaved Hostas
Blue hostas have thicker leaves covered with a waxy substance. The blue color actually is a green leaf color under a waxy coating that melts from the leaf in sun or during hot summers. They do tolerate drier soils but gardeners should avoid heavier mulches, which contributes to crown rot. This list offers ideas for leaf structure, flower color and size:
- ‘Krossa Regal’ plant is less prone to slugs. The plant has an upright vase shape with longer, heart shaped blue gray leaves. It is 36” wide x 36” tall.
- ‘Jack of Diamonds’ is a 10” - 18” tall plant that prefers full shade. The corrugated blue green leaves have chartreuse margins. Its flower blooms early with white flowers.
- ‘Blue Jay’ has small powder blue round leaves on a tightly mounded plant, 12” wide x 10” tall. The flowers have a pale lavender bloom.
- ‘Prairie Sky,’ also has powdery blue colored leaves. The dense plant gets 18” wide x 30” tall. The pale light lavender flowers open mid to late summer.
Gardeners have many uses for yellow or white leafed hostas in part sun and golden leafted hostas that prefer bright filtered shade. Here is a guide to hostas with unexpected leaf color:
- ‘Dawn’s Early Light’ has golden chartreuse spring foliage that is scorch resistant. The plant is 36” wide x 20” tall. The lavender flowers bloom in early summer.
- ‘May’ performs best in bright light. The heavy textured leaves have a rich golden yellow color.
- ‘Jimmy Crack Corn’ is a large plant with horizontal gold colored leaves, deeply veined. The summer blooming flowers are white.
- ‘August Moon’ has round wavy corrugated leaves whose yellow gold rippled margins need part sun for color. The plant is 16” tall 38” wide with off white flowers.
- ‘Sum & Substance’ is a mammoth hosta, measuring 60” wide x 36” tall. The glossy leaves turn more golden in light. This hosta tolerates som sun and is slug resistant.
Miniature Hostas in Small Spaces
Small and miniature size guidelines by American Hosta Society indicate small hostas range from 10" to 15" tall and miniature hostas should be less than 6" tall.
These diminutive hostas fit in microclimate gardens such as railroad or fairy gardens. Small hostas are complemented by plants with very tiny leaves, for example, Irish moss or creeping thyme.
Fragrant Hostas
Hostas with fragrant flowers grow best in five-six hours of sun, utilizing morning sun. Hostas are not deer resistant plants; plant scented gardens closer to seating areas where there is frequent people traffic ‘Aphrodite’ is a hosta with fragrant flowers that appreciates morning sun.
For scented gardens and to attract butterflies or birds, plant like-minded perennials with hostas. A hosta garden will bloom with early color by adding spring blooming bulbs; the early emerging hosta leaves cover declining bulb foliage after flowering.
Permission received for all photos used in this article.
Chris Eirschele - Chris writes on plants grown and gardens explored; she is a member of the Garden Writers Association.
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