Top Hosta Varieties That Thrive in The Shade

Hostas are some of the best plants for adding beauty and variety to shady garden spots. We love hostas for the way they effortlessly transform bare areas into vibrant displays of color, texture, and form. Their shade tolerance also makes them ideal choices for sites that get little direct sunlight.

But with hundreds of hosta varieties to choose from, it can get overwhelming finding the right ones for heavily shaded locations. To simplify things, we've put together this guide to our top hosta picks that thrive in the shade.

Hosta Plantaginea

The Hosta plantaginea hosta variety is distinguished by its huge, smooth leaves and tall white blooms. The foliage of this hosta emerges a bright apple green in spring before fading to a richer, darker green as it matures over the season. The leaves can spread out over 2-3 feet wide, making this a dramatic statement plant.

In midsummer, scapes topped with tubular, fragrant white flowers shoot up above the foliage. These blooms make this hosta variety a favorite for pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies.

Growing Conditions

Hosta plantaginea thrives in sites with rich, moist soil and partial to full shade exposure. It prefers consistent moisture, so it's important to water this hosta during periods of drought.

Uses in the Landscape

We love using hosta plantaginea as:

• An accent or focal point plant, allowing its huge leaves to standout against simpler foliage plants
• A lush border plant to edge pathways or distinguish garden spaces
• A striking container plant. Its rounded habit makes it an exceptional thriller plant among lower-growing fillers and spillers.

Care Tips

To keep hosta plantaginea looking its best:

• Situate it in a spot that gets some afternoon shade to protect its delicate blooms from intense sun and heat
• Provide supplemental water during warm, dry periods to prevent leaf scorch
• Watch for slugs and snails, which are attracted to the tender foliage

Hosta Sieboldiana

Also known as the "Siebold hosta," hosta sieboldiana is prized for its blue-tinted heart-shaped leaves. The leaves emerge blue-green in spring before taking on more blue tones in summer. Pale lavender bell-shaped blooms appear in early to midsummer.

Site Conditions

Hosta sieboldiana thrives in rich, moist soil amended with organic matter. It needs a site with afternoon shade to protect it from intense sunlight.

Landscape Uses

With its vibrant blue foliage, hosta sieboldiana makes a statement wherever it's planted. We especially love using it for:

• Mass plantings as an eye-catching groundcover
• Specimen plantings in containers on shady patios or decks
• Edging along borders or pathways

Care Recommendations

To keep hosta sieboldiana looking lush:

• Water regularly during its active growth period to maintain consistently moist (but not soggy) soil
• Apply a low-phosphorus, slow-release fertilizer early in the season if needed
• Divide congested clumps in early spring every 3-5 years

Hosta Undulata

With its green, deeply waved leaves marked by attractive creamy white margins, hosta undulata packs serious visual punch. Light lavender flowers appear on short scapes rising just above the 18-24 inch wide clumps in mid to late summer.

Preferred Habitat

Hosta undulata thrives in partial to full shade and evenly moist, organic soil. Its natural woodland habitat makes it perfect for planting under the dappled shade of trees.

Design Concepts

We like to use hosta undulata's lush mounded form to:

• Edge winding garden pathways
• Fill in problem dry shade areas
• Provide colorful contrast to plain green foliage plants

Maintenance Advice

To keep hosta undulata looking healthy and full:

• Cut back spent flower scapes and remove tattered foliage in fall
• Divide congested plants early in the spring every 4-5 years
• Apply organic mulch around the crown to help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds

Hosta Ventricosa

If you're searching for slug and snail resistant hostas, look no further than hosta ventricosa. Its thick, intensely blue-green leaves have a distinctive cupped, vase shape form that slugs seem to dislike.

Matching the striking foliage are pale purple, bell-like blooms borne on short scapes in mid to late summer. The whole plant forms a nice compact clump around 18-24 inches wide.

Ideal Growing Requirements

Hosta ventricosa thrives in moist, organic soil enriched with compost or leaf mold. Light afternoon shade helps protect it from leaf scorch.

Creative Garden Concepts

This tough hosta lends great texture and color contrast to shady gardens. Use it for:

• A vivid splash of blue foliage within mixed beds and borders
• A striking container thriller alongside golden creeping Jenny and other sun-loving spillers
• Edging and pathways, driveways, and patios

Care Advice

Hosta ventricosa is easier to care for than many other hostas. But be sure to:

• Remove tattered foliage before winter
• Treat any slug or snail invasions promptly
• Water during extended dry spells to prevent potential leaf scorch

Hosta Francee

The hosta Francee variety stands out with its medium green, heart-shaped leaves edged in a crisp wide white border. Pale lavender blooms appear in early summer, but it's the foliage that steals the show.

Site Considerations

Hosta Francee prefers rich soil with ample organic matter. Light afternoon shade helps protect its leaves from scorching while allowing its white variegation to remain bright and vivid.

Creative Garden Uses

We love using hosta Francee for:

• A high impact border plant
• Filler within mixed beds and island plantings
• Lush elegant groundcover on shady banks or slopes

Care Needs

To keep hosta Francee looking fresh and full, be sure to:

• Cut back spent flower scapes down to the base
• Water regularly during active growth periods
• Top dress annually with fresh compost or organic matter

Hosta Minuteman

A sport of the popular hosta Francee, hosta Minuteman features the same medium green leaves edged in a bright white border. It differs in having thicker, more slug resistant foliage and deeper lavender blooms.

Preferred Site Conditions

For best results, plant hosta Minuteman in rich organic soil with consistent moisture. Afternoon shade protects it from leaf scorch while allowing its pretty variegation to develop fully.

Imaginative Garden Concepts

Hosta Minuteman works well as:

• A colorful path edging plant
• A vivid addition to partly shaded island or poolside plantings
• Filler within mixed containers

Maintenance Tasks

To keep hosta Minuteman lush and healthy:

• Monitor for signs of foliar nematodes and treat promptly
• Divide when the clumps become overcrowded (about every 5 years)
• Cut off spent blooms down to the leaf base

Hosta Halcyon

Renowned for its striking powdery blue foliage, hosta Halcyon adds wonderful color contrast to shady garden beds. Its heart-shaped leaves emerge blue-green in spring before intensifying to a frosty blue hue come summertime.

Matching this standout foliage are delicate sprays of light lavender bell-shaped blooms appearing in midsummer. These rise just above the compact, mounding 18-inch wide clumps.

Preferred Site & Growing Conditions

For the brightest blue foliage possible, plant hosta Halcyon in a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade. Rich moist soil amended with organic matter also encourages good color development.

Creative Garden Concepts

Hosta Halcyon's compact size makes it perfect for:

• Tucking into partly shaded rock gardens
• Edging walkways, patios or garden beds
• Container thrillers combined with golden creeping Jenny spilling over the edges

Care Tips

To prevent foliage burn, be sure to:

• Water hosta Halcyon during dry periods
• Apply an organic mulch around the crown to cool roots and retain soil moisture

Hosta Blue Cadet

If you love the look of blue hostas but lack the space for some of the larger growing varieties, hosta Blue Cadet fits the bill nicely. Its steel blue leaves form a tidily mounded clump reaching just 8-12 inches tall and wide at maturity.

Nestled right near the foliage are sprays of delicate tubular light lavender flowers that appear in early to mid summer. These rise on little scapes just above the compact clumps.

Ideal Growing Requirements

Hosta Blue Cadet thrives best in evenly moist, organic matter-enriched soil. Light to full shade encourages good leaf coloration and discourages leaf scorch.

Creative Garden Concepts

This petite hosta has lots of versatile landscape uses including:

• Edging pathways, patios or garden beds
• A vivid addition to mixed shade containers
• Filler within rock gardens, trough gardens or mini garden railroad layouts

Care Tips

To prevent foliage burn:

• Water hosta Blue Cadet during warm dry spells
• Apply organic mulch around the crown to cool roots and retain moisture

Hosta Royal Standard

Hosta Royal Standard catches the eye with its regal elegance. Its broadly ovate leaves feature dark green centers and crisp, clean white margins that seem to glow in shady garden spaces.

In midsummer, pale lavender bell-shaped blooms appear on taller scapes rising nicely above the 20-inch wide mounds of foliage. These are magnets for hummingbirds and butterflies!

Preferred Site Conditions

Hosta Royal Standard thrives best in rich organic soil and consistent moisture. Light afternoon shade allows its showy white variegation to develop fully.

Versatile Landscape Plant

We love using hosta Royal Standard for:

• Colorful mixed containers on shady patios, decks and entryways
• Accent plantings in partly shaded island beds
• Vivid groundcover on banks or woodland gardens

Maintenance Needs

For the healthiest hosta Royal Standard plantings:

• Water regularly in warm months to maintain consistently moist soil
• Apply low phosphorus fertilizer early in the season if needed
• Deadhead spent blooms down to the foliage

Hosta Patriot

If you're looking for vigorously growing hostas with excellent slug resistance, add hosta Patriot to your must-have list! Its dark green leaves feature bold white centers and margins that brighten up shade gardens beautifully.

Foliage clumps reach around 2 feet wide at maturity. Rising above in mid to late summer are deeper purple buds that open into attractive bell-shaped blooms.

Preferred Site Conditions

Hosta Patriot thrives best in rich moist soil high in organic matter content. Consistent moisture and partial shade create ideal growing conditions.

Creative Garden Design Ideas

We like using hosta Patriot:

• As colorful edging plants along partly shaded pathways
• To contrast its dark and light variegated foliage against plain green shade plants
• In container thrillers combined with golden creeping Jenny spilling over pot rims

Care Recommendations

Water hosta Patriot regularly (without keeping soil soggy) and watch for signs of slug or snail damage to protect its foliage.

By choosing the right hosta varieties for your growing conditions, it becomes easy to turn shady areas into vibrant gardens that need little maintenance. Focus on types that match the soil and sunlight levels of your site.

Provide adequate moisture and space for plants to reach their mature sizes. Remove spent blooms and tattered foliage as needed. And keep an eye out for common hosta pests like slugs and snails.