Blue Ivory Hosta

Size

What a gorgeous, changeable hosta for your light to full shade garden! Creamy white leaf margins on heart-shaped, feathery blue, (yes blue) leaves emerge in spring, then change to a snow white margin in summer, and finally change again to a creamy light green fringe for a beautiful show of color all summer long. Light lavender flower spikes appear in midsummer and can last until fall, tempting hummingbirds to be frequent visitors to your garden. Hostas provide a wonderful color and texture to shade gardens, covering spring bulbs that are fading and giving a wonderful contrast to the bright rich colors of other shade perennials. Native to Northeast Asia, including the Russian Far East, hosta are hardy from Zones 3-9, growing in gardens in every climate zone but the hottest. Cold temperatures are required to set leaves for the following year, and hot climates fail to provide this necessary element. Hosta grow in open woodlands, and along the edge of woodlands in their native habitat. Home gardeners will find many uses for this low maintenance hosta including at the edge of a woodland garden, in part or full shade landscape borders, and along a shaded deck. It may take several years for Blue Ivory to develop its unique leaf pattern consistently but it is worth the wait. Blue Ivory Hosta Care Hosta thrive in a variety of soils from sandy to clay, but they prefer a humus rich soil that stays slightly moist but drains well. Apply a thin layer of good quality mulch to help retain the moisture if needed. Blue Ivory prefers to be in light to full shade to reduce leaf burn and help maintain the gorgeously unique coloration of its leaves. Fertilizing hosta is not necessary but will aid your plant to achieve its full potential. Use a balanced fertilizer like a 10-10-10, or simply dress your plants with a well composted organic mulch from which it can derive its nutrients while it also helps to retain the needed moisture in your soil. Preferred pH range is 5.8 to 6.5, acidic, although this versatile perennial can tolerate a wide range of soil pH as well. Water regularly to maintain a slightly moist soil and consider watering at the root zone to prevent any leaf burn. Deadheading of flower spikes after they are spent will help your hosta to redirect its plant energy to producing the star of the show, those beautiful lush leaves. Remove any dead or yellowing leaves at the base of the plant and discard, keeping the ground clear of debris. Slugs, a typical pest of hostas, do not affect Blue Ivory much due to their thick leaves. Hosta typically do not need winter protection as they are very hardy, but winter winds can be a problem. Site your hosta to be protected from the wind when first planting them for best results. Blue Ivory Hosta Spacing Blue Ivory Hosta can grow to 16 inches tall and spread out 30 inches. Spacing your plants 30 inches apart will give them the room to grow. Hosta are best displayed in your garden when they can create a low spreading mound of foliage without competition from surrounding plants. They are easier to maintain this way as well. Blue Ivory will add a unique attraction to your partial sunlight to full shade garden. You are not going to want to miss having this beautiful perennial to show off your gardening skills this spring!