Unearth Striking Variegated Hostas That Thrive in Shade
Do you have a shady spot in your yard where other plants just won't grow? Are you looking to add vibrant foliage effects to liven up those problem areas? Hostas may be the solution you've been searching for.
Hostas are among the most popular perennials for shade gardens. With their wide variety of sizes, leaf textures, and hues, hostas can transform challenging shady beds into stunning displays. Variegated types, with artistically colored leaves, are especially striking.
The Allure of Variegated Hosta Varieties
Variegated hosta varieties have leaves decorated with white, yellow, or blue-green margins or streaks. These colorful accents make them stand out among other plants.
In the spring, the bright hues of variegated hostas are especially eye-catching. Their unique foliage adds defined structure and contrast to garden beds. The color variations also help brighten up dreary areas.
A Sampling of Striking Variegated Choices
Many impressive variegated hostas are available for shade landscapes. Here are a few top recommendations:
Hosta 'June'
'June' hosta is beloved for its unique deeply lobed, blue-green leaves, marked by bright lime-green centers. The color contrast is striking. 'June' reaches about 15 inches tall and spreads 35 inches wide in shady spots.
We love using 'June' hosta as edging along borders and paths. The neat mounded form contains its spread. 'June' also looks beautiful mass planted in drifts or pots. It combines well with coral bells, astilbe, and ferns.
Hosta 'Sagae'
Considered a very large hosta, 'Sagae' can attain heights of 28 inches tall and spreads of 3 feet wide in shade. Its elegantly tapered leaves emerge frosty blue-green with buttery yellow edges in spring.
Given its substantial size, 'Sagae' hosta makes a dramatic specimen planting. It also holds its own as a backdrop border. Near black mondo grass and Japanese painted ferns make excellent companions to contrast with its vivid coloration.
Hosta 'Empress Wu'
For giant hosta lovers, 'Empress Wu' has the largest leaves available, which can reach lengths of 28 inches long and widths of 25 inches wide. Overall, mature plants reach about 4 feet tall by 6 feet wide in optimal growing conditions.
Use 'Empress Wu' as a focal point to make a strong style statement in a large island bed or border. The enormous blue-green leaves demand attention. Underplant with white astilbe or hardy begonias for texture contrast.
Growing Needs for Success with Shade Hostas
Hostas destined for heavily shaded areas do need some specialized care for healthiest growth possible in those conditions:
Soil Prep Basics
When planting hostas, preparing the soil first is key. Improve drainage by mixing in organic material such as compost.
Space plants adequately for best spread and growth later. Water new plantings daily the first week or until established. Top dress around plants with organic mulch to maintain soil moisture consistently.
Water Requirements
Hostas require regular soil moisture. Their wide leaves lose water quickly, making consistent water vital. In dry spells, aim to water shaded hostas daily, or even twice daily during hot, windy weather.
On very hot sites, creating shade covers from scrap wood or burlap can help protect plants too. Consider using soaker hoses or drip irrigation on large plantings to simplify watering.
Feeding Schedule
Apply high nitrogen fertilizers made specifically for shade plants in spring as new leaves emerge and again halfway through summer. This fuels strong growth needed for best foliage display.
Discontinue fertilizing after mid-August so plants harden off properly before winter dormancy. Prune old foliage back once it dies off to keep plants looking tidy.
Creative Designs with Variegated Hostas
When planning beds and borders, variegated hostas provide eye-catching style. Here are some ideas for showcasing them:
Texture Contrasts
Hostas pair beautifully with fine-textured plants. Surround them with delicate astilbe, Japanese maple trees with lacy leaves, or wispy ornamental grasses. The interplay of bold and delicate is artistic.
Foliage Foils
Variegated hosta foliage color offers beautiful contrast against plants with purple leaves. Nearby 'Black Lace' elderberry and dark-leafed Heuchera create energizing color palettes.
Also underplant variegated hostas with white perennial geraniums like 'Rozanne' and variegated lamium for splashes of light against the dark leaves.
Special Effects
For added whimsy, underplant blue-toned giant hostas with vibrant golden creeping Jenny. The gold foliage glowing beneath the blue leaves creates a celestial effect.
Hostas also combine beautifully with other shade-loving foliage. Pair them with coral bells, ferns, and coleus for layered textures and colors.
Overwintering Tips
Hostas are herbaceous perennials, meaning their foliage dies back completely in winter. To protect them:
- Cut back foliage once it turns brown.
- Apply protective winter mulch after ground freezes, mounding to a depth just below the crown of the plant.
- In very cold climates, wrap plants with burlap secured by stakes to shield from excessive wind and cold exposure over winter.
Then unwrap and remove mulch gradually in spring so plants emerge properly as soil warms again.
For stunning drama even in problem shady zones, variegated hostas can't be beat. Their artistic leaves energize boring areas and combine beautifully with other shade-loving plants.
By selecting varieties suited to partial to full shade and tending properly, anyone can grow vibrant variegated hostas successfully. Work some into your own landscape's shady spots and get ready for the compliments to start pouring in!
Hostas with Unique Leaf Shapes
While many hostas have broad, rounded leaves, there are also varieties with unique leaf shapes that add visual interest to a shade garden. Some examples include 'Gold Standard', which has narrow, almost sword-shaped leaves, and 'June', which has deeply lobed leaves that resemble a hand fan.
Hostas with Unusual Colors
Hostas are typically green, but there are also varieties with unusual leaf colors, such as 'Elegans', which has pale yellow leaves that turn a deeper green as they mature, and 'Albo Margine Queen', which has white-edged leaves.
Dwarf Hostas
If you have a small shade garden, consider dwarf hostas like 'Halcyon', which only grows 6-12 inches tall, or 'Dwarf Honeybells', which grows 8-12 inches tall and produces clusters of white flowers in the spring.
Hostas with Fragrance
While many hostas are grown for their foliage, some varieties also produce fragrant flowers, such as 'Fragrant Bouquet', which has spikes of fragrant white flowers in the summer.
Some hostas, like 'Autumn Frost', not only have beautiful foliage in the spring and summer but also turn stunning shades of orange and red in the fall.
By exploring these varieties, you can create a hosta garden that is both beautiful and diverse, with hostas that suit your specific shade garden conditions.