Miniature and Very Small Hostas for Gardens and Containers

Primarily grown for their beautiful foliage, hostas are long-lived, shade-loving perennials highly esteemed by gardeners. Easy and adaptable garden plants, there are hundreds of cultivars to choose from, ranging from incredibly tiny plants to giants.

According to the American Hosta Society, the dimensions of a miniature hosta are as follows:
Leaf blade area no greater than about 4 sq. in. (26 sq. cm).
Leaf blade length no greater than about 4.5 in. (11 cm).

A very small hosta has a leaf blade area between about 4 -10 sq. in. (26-65 sq. cm)

There is no restriction on clump spread.

Highly popular and very cute, mini and very small hostas are a good choice if space is tight or for containers. They are great candidates for rock gardens, containers and troughs. Some can even be grown in spaces in dry stone walls as long as there is enough moisture.

Growing and Caring for Miniature and Very Small Hostas

• Hostas perform best in part shade in fertile, moist, well-drained soils. However, some hostas are tolerant of sunny conditions.
• Mini and very small hostas require excellent drainage. This is particularly necessary if these hostas are grown outside in containers. To improve drainage, you can amend your soil with grit or bark chippings.
• Mulching around the plants with a layer of gravel or bark will prevent the soil from splashing up and spoiling the leaves.
• Plants in containers need regular watering in summer as they dry out quickly. An easy way to ruin hostas is to let them dry out, even for a little while.
• Plants in containers are susceptible to waterlogging, which can cause the roots to rot. Protect your containers from winter rain by standing them at the base of a wall or fence as this is naturally drier.
• Hostas are not suitable for exposed, windy areas of the garden. Shelter them from cold, dry winds.
• Plants in containers welcome liquid feeding once a month when they are in growth. Use a general-purpose liquid fertilizer.
• Before planting your mini hostas, make sure that all weeds are removed so that they do not disturb the growth of these tiny plants.
• Do not divide until your plants have less than 6 crowns as small divisions usually fail.
• Keep an eye out for slugs and snails which could damage the attractive foliage. To prevent pest damage, pots and containers should be raised about 1 in. (2.5 cm) above the ground level, if possible standing on mats infused with copper wire which protrude about 1 in. (2.5 cm) outside the base of the container.
• Place a fine wire mesh over the drainage hole to prevent slug or snail attacks from below.
• Hostas are toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.