Striking Blue 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, with leaves in pretty shades of green, chartreuse, gold, dusky blue or beautifully variegated.
Blue being the rarest color in a garden, it is not surprising that hosta with blue leaves have long been prized by gardeners. There is a wide range of blues to choose from: deep blue, glaucous blue, blue-gray, blue-green, gray-green, soft powder blue or intense blue.
- The blue color is produced by a wax coating which can be easily rubbed away, revealing the green leaf underneath. The thicker the coasting, the bluer the leaf.
- Blue hostas hold their color better in cooler climates with long spring seasons. In warmer areas where springs are short, the blueness lasts for a shorter time, the leaves turning green by the end of May.
- Blue hostas often emerge a wonderful blue color in spring but tend to turn blue-green or green by midsummer. However, the focus on producing hostas with a thick wax coating has led to the emergence of hosta cultivars that remain blue during the entire growing season.
How to keep the blue color of your hostas
- To retain the blue color as long as possible, site your hosta in light shade to full shade. If the leaves are exposed to too much sun, the glaucous coating will fade or melt away, leaving the leaves green for the rest of that season.
- Avoid overhead watering your hosta as it can seriously damage the beautiful leaves, causing the blue coating to wash off or become spotty. It can also cause them to rot and attract slugs and snails.
Guide Information
Hardiness |
3 - 9
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 8
|
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 |
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Hosta - Plantain Lilies |
Exposure | Partial Sun, Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Landscaping Ideas | Patio and Containers, Small Gardens |
123rf
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Guide Information
Hardiness |
3 - 9
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 8
|
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 |
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Hosta - Plantain Lilies |
Exposure | Partial Sun, Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Landscaping Ideas | Patio and Containers, Small Gardens |