Per John Shea's on air request we will be chatting about blue Hosta. I do have some favorites, all of which are on display at Missouri Botanical Garden- either at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening or on the north end of the Garden near the daylily collection. This is a good way to become familiar with hosta cultivars that retain their vigor in our Midwest heat. The flower beds have been amended and do have irrigation.
I must say that frequently our hot humid summers and too much sun exposure can take a toll on many of the "blue” hosta. When this happens, the waxy coating melts which results in a less impressive representation of the blue shades these beauties can produce.
Typically any of the blue selections are more resistant to slugs than the more common green leaf hosta with thin foliage. Regardless of color or variety- when you are chosing a hosta, look for thick leaves. Also don't forget many hosta actually have attractive flowers- some of which are fragrant and all appear to be attractive to hummingbirds, despite the fact that they are not red. My favorite for blooming is H. 'Sparkling Burgundy' which I saw when I was teaching at Ronna's wonderful nursery Idyllwild Gardens, in Savannah, MO.
Ronna is very interested in sharing details with her customers and so was still trialing it and deciding whether to carry it at the nursery. She only had the one at the time, which was nestled at the base of a large shade tree with a few ferns. A tough spot for any plant but it was in full flower and putting on a grand display!
Although hosta is not a Missouri native, it does not appear to offer any threat of invasiveness in the lower Midwest, in fact a few lack the required vigor necessary to deal with our heavy soil and variable weather.
My personal favorites are:
Hosta Hosta 'Betcher's Blue' – reminds me of Belcher Homes - Great Green Builder!
Hosta Hosta 'Birchwood Parky's Gold' -my favorite gold hosta to compliment the blues. When I cared for it at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening, it was under the 'Forest Pansy' Redbud tree across from the front door.
Hosta Hosta 'Fragrant Bouquet' –very slow- very pretty
Hosta Hosta 'Lemon Lime' – very fast- perfect gold edgerto contrast with the blue-I used it while teaching and designing for Wine Country Gardens in Defiance, MO
Hosta Hosta 'Sagae' * my star hosta featured in "How To" article in ST. Louis PD
Hosta Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans' -
Hosta Hosta 'So Sweet' - very fragrant- fresh sheen to every leaf!
Hosta Hosta 'Sparkling Burgundy' – fell in love with this at Ronna's nursery, Idyllywild, in Savannah MO
Hosta Hosta (Tardiana Group) 'Halcyon' - POM
Hosta Hosta (Tardiana Group) 'June' POM - A personal reminder of a dear friend and mentor, June Hutson, supervisor of the grounds at Missouri Botanical Garden's Kemper Center for Home Gardening.
I also like some of the standards such as:
hosta ‘Regal Splendor’
hosta 'Krossa Regal'
hosta 'Blue Angel'
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