Elegans Hosta

Size

Every shady area of the garden needs a touch of green elegance, and Elegans Hosta (Hosta sieboldiana Elegans) can fit the bill. Growing well under the dappled shade of trees, this hosta is a great choice for woodland gardens. With blue-gray leaves that are round and textured, the foliage is more than enough to add a layer of muted green. In August, the plant sends up tiny flower stems with light lavender flowers, just to make this shade-loving perennial even prettier. This hosta is hardy to zone 5, so once you plant it, it should come back year after year. It wont take a lot of heat, but can handle the temperatures of zone 8 as long as it gets some afternoon shade. Its a tough plant that needs little care any time of year. Once mature, the plant will spread to about 36 inches high and 30 inches wide. So, plant a mass of these pretty foliage plants as a short border to a partly shady bed or to line a woodland walking path. Elegans Hosta Care Choose a spot that gets about 4 hours of sun a day or less for best effect, especially in warmer growing zones. Too much sun might scorch the leaves or bleach out some of the blue-gray hues of the leaves. Once in the ground, hostas need average water, but after their first season, they can dry out a little between irrigation or rain. When you plant hostas under trees, give them a little more water, since they must compete with tree roots for moisture. Take care not to overwater them. Hostas like soil that is fairly rich in organic matter and that can hold an even level of moisture. Add a few inches or organic mulch around the plant to help retain moisture and slowly break down to keep soil rich. Get rid of dead leaves in fall to clean up the plant before it flows down for winter. Trim off fading leaves at ground level. If deer visit your garden, you will have to protect the hostas with high fences or other deterrents. Elegans Hosta Spacing For a border or mass planting, space Elegans Hosta about 2 to 2.5 feet apart to give each plant room to spread.