If you were favourable enough to spend a skillful chunk of your puerility in a beautifully and fondly landscape garden like I did , with hand - built stone borders and slate paths , shaded by maturetulip poplar treesand meet with birdsong and butterfly , perhaps you ’re no stranger to the dappled sunshine and full forested shade that ’s perfect for growingbleeding substance , astilbe , and hostas .
But even if you ’re turn with a tiny patio garden without a speck of naturally compost leaf bedding material in lot , if you ’ve get a shady berth in Zones 3 - 11 , the only question really is this :
Which hosta to take ?
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With various cultivars become to spread their leave-taking over wide belt of the shaded landscape , miniature dull - growers that wo n’t take over , reason covering , and even industrial plant that willdo well in a special containeron their own , there are so many gorgeous varieties of the genusHostato choose from .
For those of you without fledged shade trees on your attribute ( I get it , less leave-taking to rake ) there are even drought - resistant types suited to gay spot . And some with thicker leaves are even claimed to be slug immune .
Pick your pleasure , from green and white to Au , or even blue , with spiky , warmheartedness - shaped , or mouse - eared foliation . Though hostas are n’t known for their flowers , there are a few fragrant standouts thatthe pollinators who chat your garden spacewill sexual love .
If you ’re favourable , perhaps a fag or two will even pop on by once in a while …
There were many mo while I was growing up when my grandparent ’ garden was genuinely magical , a safe oasis for daydreams and make believe . I recollect the hostas take on a big part in that .
Ours were unnoticeable , all of the same variety with leaves large enough for doll or squirrels to use as shelter from the rain , and pallid lavender flowers on tall stalks . But they were always there , and they can give a place as constant comrade in your timber garden as well .
I ’d care to say I narrow this roundup down to my absolute top choice , but there were aboveboard too many fascinating diverseness to choose just a few . This is a pretty thorough compendium , but if you have a big enough garden , you do n’t have to opt just one eccentric like my grandparents did .
Live a small , and make a few young friends in the wide worldly concern of Funka . With over 3,000 registered varieties to prefer from , this is a sampling of 19 of my ducky . And they ’re ready for planting , in your own special outdoor space .
19 of the Best Hostas for Home Gardeners
Most Hosta do well in full to fond tone , and they ’re not suited to hotter area of the US .
For the best color , a space that offers some dawn cheer during the growing season , with dappled to full shade for protection in the hotness of the good afternoon , is idealistic .
And they ’ll likely need some supplemental water during summertime heatwaves .
Sure , you might encounter yourselfshooing deerandpicking off slugsto protect your industrial plant baby , particularly when they ’re still small and becoming constitute . But these are comparatively casual plants to grow otherwise , perennials that aresuitable for divisionas they mature .
Many volunteer multi - time of year interest with color commute leave-taking that put on a continual show right through to the fall , andwhite or lavender flowers .
You will discover that “ sports ” are sometimes mentioned below , and I ’m not verbalise about baseball here ( though I do love my baseball game – Go Phillies ! ) .
In a clump of hosta foliage , breeders will sometimes acknowledge a leaf bud nestled in there that put up out from the rest .
These sport are our Quaker , beloved among appendage of the planetary hosta fan club , and they are responsible for for the development of new cultivars – sometimes .
Some sports are not in force fun , and full - grow plants that are summercater of another cultivar will occasionally retrovert in part back to guide on the appearance of their mother plants ( some of us can only rebel against our mother for so long , after all … ) .
Some gardener willremove and discard variation and lapsing , to commence new plants or to make a refreshful accession to the compost bin .
1. August Moon
A cultivar ofH. sieboldiana , ‘ August Moon ’ has heart - determine unripened - gold leave with ruffle margins that fade to yellow in the declivity , and lily-white to pallid lavender flowers that bloom in the summer .
I ’d like nothing more than to gaze at the colored foliage of ‘ August Moon ’ in the daylight , with a good book and a trash of sweet teatime at hand , and to be able to marvel at the full Sturgeon Moon when it lift at night . # hostagoals
‘ August Moon ’
With an average altitude and bedspread of 24 by 24 to 36 inches , and a medium outgrowth rate , this cultivar is suit to zone 4 - 8 .
Plants in # 1 containers areavailable from Nature Hills Nursery .
2. Blue Mouse Ears
You ’d be heavily - pressed to find out a precious name than ‘ Blue Mouse Ears , ’ and this little steady lives up to his name with a height and spread of just 6 - 8 inches , and circular blue - green farewell .
He bites back , in a gumption , with thick leaf that are resistant to slugs .
And with lilac flowers that are showier than those of some types , rise on scapes up to a animal foot in summit , the hummingbird and butterfly stroke will be happy to see this little guy .
‘ Blue Mouse Ears ’
Plant this miniature , clump - forming cultivar as a footing cover in Zones 3 - 8 .
Plants in 4 - inch pots and bare root plants areavailable from Burpee .
3. Color Festival
If you ’re tired of solid hues or even bicolors , this tricolor hosta is the response .
Mostly blank leaf or pale sensationalistic - green leave , with yellowish accents and dark gullible gross profit margin , bring home the bacon coloured interest in the garden . I get laid the agency each leaf of this variegated cultivar is dissimilar .
Known for its fragrant pinky - lilac heyday that the hummingbird will love , with scape soaring to 24 inch above the earth , ‘ Color Festival ’ is a drought tolerant variety best suited to Zones 3 - 8 .
‘ Color Festival ’
With a height and disseminate on the little side of the scale , this type will reach 16 - 18 inches in superlative at adulthood , with a cattle farm of 12 - 16 inches .
Live plant life or bare base ready for plantingare available from Burpee .
4. Curly Fries
As someone who had never use up a curly shaver until I entered mellow schooltime and find that my cafeteria offer them day by day , you best believe I made every sweat to make up for mazed time , with luck of Heinz ketchup on the side and a smile on my brass .
You wo n’t want to eat these ( probably?Young hostas are technically edibleand eaten in a form of style , most commonly in Japan – just do n’t allow your positron emission tomography get to them , since they are toxic to cat and wiener ) .
But the chartreuse , undulate , narrow-minded foliage that this plant life features will add a touch modality of whimsy to your garden space , whether you feel they ’re worthy of their potatoey moniker or not .
‘ Curly Fries ’
With an arching mound habit , and lilac flowers in the summertime , this flyspeck cultivar make a height of 6 - 16 column inch and a spreadhead of 12 - 18 inch . It ’s well fit to Zones 3 - 9 .
plant life in 4 - inch deal or bare root plant areavailable for purchase from Burpee .
5. Empress Wu
Burpee claims this is “ very possibly the largest hosta you could purchase . ” And her title to fame is a height of 3 - 4 feet with a spread of 5 - 6 base . That’sper plant .
‘ Empress Wu ’ is n’t messing around , and she has a commanding mien .
In fact , the realEmpress Wu Zeitan was the only distaff emperorto dominion China , and she reigned long , long ago , during the Tang Dynasty .
teach to read and indite as a child , which was particularly unusual for youthful girls at the time , she was known for her mantrap and joined the royal court as a courtesan to Emperor Taizong as a young adolescent .
Originally responsible for the royal stag washables , she was quickly promoted to the position of secretary to the emperor .
She later tie his son , then claim control after he died , put her sons in charge , and then took them right back out of charge when she saw fit .
Get it , missy . ( Okay , she allegedly also murdered her daughter … her narration is complicated , but she fought the man in a truly awesome and historic way . )
But I depart …
Her deeply vein ( the flora ’s , not the real - life empress ’s ) , glossy green leaves with a mite of blue when they shoot in the spring are 28 inch foresighted and 25 inches wide , and she sports lavender flush on short scape that glance just above the leafage .
‘ Empress Wu ’
This cultivar has a semi - erect , mounding substance abuse . Give her five year , and she ’ll originate to be a giant in Zones 3 - 9 .
Shadowland ® ‘ Empress Wu ’ bare root works areavailable from Burpee .
6. First Frost
With leaves that look as if they were kiss by the first icing of winter by the last of the time of year , this summercater of ‘ Halcyon ’ get down with rich naughty folio with gold , irregular mete that fade to pure E. B. White in the fall .
name the 2010 Hosta of the Year by the American Hosta Growers Association , ‘ First Frost ’ also features sick lavender bloom that grow on marvellous 28 - in scape .
This mixture is known for being repellent to pestilence , with a medium outgrowth rate .
‘ First Frost ’
At maturity it will reach 12 - 15 inch in height with a spread of 36 inches , contribute the conditions that it likes best in Zones 3 - 9 .
Plants in quart - sized containers areavailable from Nature Hills .
7. Fragrant Bouquet
Bi - colour in apple - green leaves edged in white are n’t the only matter to have intercourse about this cultivar . Unlike many other varieties , its large lavender to emollient - colored blossom are highly fragrant , hence the name .
Pollinators likehummingbirdslove these , and ‘ Fragrant Bouquet ’ will thrive in shaded gardens or area with morning Dominicus in Zones 4 - 11 .
‘ Fragrant Bouquet ’
This cultivar reaches 18 - 24 inch in elevation at maturity with a spreading of 24 inches , and a quick growth rate .
8. Francee
If you ’re a fan of hostas with those classical white - march farewell , and you thought you had too much sunshine to make this beloved plant work in your space , ‘ Francee ’ is your friend . And you ’re not alone – this is a belovedH. fourtuneicultivar .
A vigorous grower with a matured elevation and spreadhead of 18 inches by 36 - 48 inches , ‘ Francee ’ has coloured green and white marrow - shaped foliage and tiny trumpet - mold white to lavender heyday .
She also boasts a mound substance abuse , and is drouth tolerant once establish , in zone 3 - 8 .
‘ Francee ’
works areavailable from Nature Hills Nursery in # 1 container .
9. Frances Williams
If you ’re on the lookout for a gargantuan cultivar to make a splash in your spook garden , this might be it . She ’s more bantam in size than ‘ Empress Wu , ’ but her story is another one for the age .
A sport of ‘ Elegans , ’ this is one of the well - known genus Funka cultivars .
nominate after Frances Rope Williams , one of the first landscape architects to graduate from MIT and a buff of hostas , she wrote about them and help to connect hosta lover with each other wherever she could . Her work led to the establishment of the American Hosta Society .
Williams once discovered a variety that she think was particularly special at a greenhouse in Connecticut in 1936 . Originally namedH. sieboldiana‘Aureomarginata , ’ it was renamed by the famed British nurseryman George Robinson at Oxford University .
Large fleeceable leaves with chartreuse edges that look as if they were paint with watercolors are a standout feature of this cultivar , and they can grow to be over a fundament each in either dimension !
Not to mention the height and ranch of this flora at maturity – we ’re looking at 12 - 24 inches tall , with a 48 to 60 - in spread .
Give ‘ Frances Williams ’ plenty of elbow room to mature , and she will bedaze with white blossom in the summertime , and allow that slice to yellow in the pin .
This plant grows lento and is best suited to Zones 3 - 9 , pure for fill in a orotund empty space in your garden .
Keep an optic out for what ’s know as “ springiness desiccation sunburn , ” a stipulation acknowledge to plague downhearted - green and gold hostas with large leave , like this one .
With too much sunlight vulnerability combined with high wind and freeze nighttime temperature in former springtime , gold sections lose their paint , turning all the way , drying out , and finally die .
‘ Frances Williams ’
Provide a little spare protection for this and similar cultivar during unexpected springtime cold spells to check healthy leaf afterward in the time of year .
works in # 1 container areavailable from Nature Hills .
10. Gold Standard
With large color - transfer leave spanning 8 inch in distance and 5 inches across that begin deep yellowish green with mottled unripe edges and morph to golden yellow and cream through the summertime ( ! ) , this shade - devotee is an first-class selection for Zones 3 - 8 .
It does nicely in well - draining containers as a specimen plant , with small , pale lavender flowers in midsummer .
you could wait this popular cultivar to reach a meridian of 12 - 24 column inch at maturity , with a spread of 3 - 4 foot .
‘ Gold Standard ’
As for the emergence rate of this case , it ’s somewhere down the middle . Standard , even .
11. Golden Tiara
As if its stunning , tiny , and tenuous green and aureate heart - shape leaves were n’t enough , ‘ Golden Tiara ’ is rather unique among hostas as a change not only known for its profusion of dark-skinned lavender heyday , but for its power to rebloomif it ’s deadheadedafter the first bloom of blossoms .
With a clumping habit and a summary course , this cutie is also tinier in stature , hand a height of just 6 - 12 column inch at maturity date with a bed covering of 24 - 36 inch . And it grow quickly , to boot !
‘ Golden Tiara ’
Plant ‘ Golden Tiara ’ in Zones 4 - 8 for respectable results .
12. Halcyon
This is one cultivar that I ca n’t say with foregone conclusion that I ever recall seeing in person ( I ’ve know a bunch of hostas in my Clarence Day , but I ’m bad with names , and they have a tendency to mumble ) .
But its unequalled hue reminds me of that of the Statue of Liberty , a well - age green copper patina that some plant vendor apparently choose to describe as “ ocean blue . ”
Halcyon was also the name of my college yearbook , and my undergraduate studies were filled with halcyon Clarence Day of sun in courtyards , stop to smell out the nodding bloom in the rose garden , wandering in the woods , and splashing in the creek .
Sometimes I belong to class , too .
Apparently , this tidings is more specifically assort with a period of time of time around the winter solstice that ’s known for calm weather , named after the halcyon snort of Grecian mythology who was pronounce to quell the wind and sedate the ocean .
There ’s a lot to unpack there .
Whatever color you see in person when you look at these , or whatever memory you assort it with , there ’s no doubt about it – ‘ Halcyon ’ is truly something special .
With buddy-buddy , spear - form , textured leaves that are purportedly swig resistant , pale lavender flowers screw to draw hummingbird , and a mounding shape resonant of a spilling fountain , Nature Hills Nursery take this is “ one of the best genus Funka available . ”
In zone 4 - 8 ( or 3 - 8 , depending on who you ask ) , you’re able to gestate a fledged height of 12 - 26 inch and a counterpane of 30 - 36 inches .
‘ genus Halcyon ’
success of the Award of Merit grant by the American Hosta Society in 1997 ( the secondly - mellow honor awarded by this organization after the Benedict Medal for Garden Performance , named for note hosta hybridizer Dr. Herb Benedict ) , this oldie - but - goodie is sometimes described as a vigorous but dull cultivator , while others take it has a medium growth rate .
observe ‘ golden ’ plant in # 1 containersat Nature Hills Nurseryor bare root plantsfrom Burpee .
13. Hudson Bay
I ’m not certain whether Henry Hudson caught a coup d’oeil of any hostas during his travels in the early 1600s , before his ship theDiscoverywas immobilise in the ice and his crew mutiny . It does n’t seem likely .
And that ’s a compassion , really . genus Hosta are endearing , after all .
This hybrid cultivar that bears the name of the Hudson Bay adds a stunning sense of touch of ocean blue - green to the garden with tricolor variegate leaf , and pick to lavender colored flowers in early summertime .
And you do n’t require to be on the Dutch East India Company ’s paysheet to be able to give adding a few to your landscape painting .
‘ Hudson Bay ’
In Zones 3 - 9 , Shadowland ® ‘ Hudson Bay ’ reaches 24 - 26 inches in height at matureness , with a spread of 20 - 26 in and a mound riding habit .
desolate source plants areavailable from Burpee .
14. June
‘ June ’ expunge me as the queen mole rat of the suburban housewives of the hosta bunch , prim and proper and very put together with a little sparkle that keeps your interest .
victor of the 2001 American Hosta Growers ’ Hosta of the Year award , she ’s vivid and just a touch dramatic , with variegated basswood dark-green and Au leave-taking with drab - green boundary line and accents .
That foliage is so impressive , her lavender blooms are almost an afterthought ( but of course she recall to put on just the right accessory for your summertime garden party ) .
‘ June ’
midget in stature with a top of 6 - 10 inches , a mature gap of 16 - 20 inches , and a clumping use , this medium - paced grower will brighten up those shadowed garden corners in Zones 4 - 11 .
15. Magic Island
require to run by to a magic island ? We all do , sometimes .
Instead , plant a few of these and you could gaze off into the mediate distance while the spiky risque - green edged , creamy yellow farewell of ‘ Magic Island ’ wave in the breeze . Take a few deep breaths and feel your stress unthaw away while this cultivar remind you of sandy beaches and big waves .
There ’s a pile of ocean imagery weaving its way throughout these description , and I realize that . But who can resist a sea of aristocratic - unripened hostas in landlocked Pennsylvania , or wherever you find yourself on a foresighted summer ’s afternoon ?
The foliation is thick with a cupped material body , and lavender flowers bloom in the summer . This type has an vertical mound habit with thick , slug - tolerant leaves .
‘ Magic Island ’
Best suit to Zones 3 - 8 , ‘ Magic Island ’ will reach a acme of 10 - 14 inch at maturity with a spread of 16 - 20 inches .
Plants and desolate roots areavailable from Burpee .
16. Minuteman
During the time of the American Revolutionary War , the Minutemen plight to take up arms at a present moment ’s notice , if and when it came to that .
I ’d much prefer to guard my garden with more peaceful sentry , ones with sum - shaped , mildly cupped green leaves bordered in white .
This is the ‘ Minuteman ’ for me , and he ’ll make a adorable addition to your shady or partial sun beds and borders .
A sport of ‘ Francee ’ with an appearance similar to ‘ Patriot , ’ his thick-skulled leaves are a darker hue of Green River .
‘ Minuteman ’
Pollinators will do it his lavender flowers , and slugs will get hold it tough to munch through his heavyset leave . In Zones 3 - 8 , this case reaches a moderate height and spread of 26 - 30 column inch by 20 - 24 in .
17. Patriot
This particular ‘ Patriot ’ is not “ straight low ” but rather features glossy unripe leaf with magnanimous , bright white margins . And it jade its heart on its ( s)leaves , so to speak , as this is the shape that they have .
Okay , I might need to go back to the drawing board on that one …
A 1997 winner of the American Hosta Growers ’ Hosta of the Year awarding and a mutant of ‘ Francee , ’ this is another standout .
‘ Patriot ’
With lavender flower , a mound habit , a ripe height of 12 - 22 inch , and a spread of 36 - 48 in , ‘ nationalist ’ thrives in Zones 3 - 8 .
works are available in # 1 containersfrom Nature Hills .
18. Regal Splendor
A mutant of ‘ Krossa Regal , ’ this kingly cultivar has a similar habit , with blue - gullible leaves edged in yellow , and lavender flowers in late summer .
Winner of the 2003 American Hosta Growers ’ Hosta of the Year laurels , it makes a arresting addition to gardens in Zones 3 - 9 .
To bring out and maintain its color , plant in an area with morning Dominicus and good afternoon spectre .
‘ Regal Splendor ’
Plants pass 2 - 3 understructure in acme with an equal spread at adulthood , with a average growth rate .
19. Wide Brim
Green leaves with mysterious downcast - immature center of attention and unorthodox ointment and gold margins are the main lineament of this attractive cultivar , with lavender summer flowers .
But its mound form and clumping habit make it perfect for grow en masse shot to sate in wide swaths of your shaded landscape . The foliage fades to yellow in the descent .
Will these leaf remind you of fashionable hats strew across the yard ? intemperately to say . But if you capture a video of any of the local wildlife seek ‘ extensive Brim ’ on for size , please post us a time !
‘ Wide Brim ’
This cultivar reaches 12 - 20 inches in height at matureness with a spread of 32 - 36 inch and a medium growth charge per unit . It ’s best suit to Zones 3 - 8 .
Plants areavailable in # 1 container from Nature Hills .
So Many Hostas… You Know the Rest
I do n’t know about you , but I have plenty of time for hostas .
If you live in a growing zone that they care to call home , do n’t you think it ’s about meter that you pick out the thoroughgoing shaded spot and plant a few ?
Whether you ’re look for a smaller addition to the garden beds to bring a popping of unexpected color and texture , or a tumid friend to provide cover for the sprite and elven folk , there ’s a cultivar for you .
They bear plentifulness of historical significance with them as well , in name at least ! And I ’m certain you may imagine all the play you ’ll have apportion history with the neighbour about the piece of account that you have planted in the backyard .
Even if you do n’t trust in fairies ( gasp ! ) I would enjoy nothing more than for you to live the peaceful woodland magic that Hosta can lend to the garden . They might not have the showiest flowers , but there ’s something so special about them nonetheless .
Ready totake your hosta garden to the next grade ? Check out these growing scout next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . Originally published February 19th , 2020 . Last updated May 3rd , 2023 . Product pic via Burpee , Eden Brothers , and Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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Allison Sidhu