Blue Angel hosta

Sun

Partial to full shade; gentle morning sun is suitable where soil stays moist. Avoid hot afternoon sun.

Water

Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply during dry spells, especially while establishing and beneath trees.

Soil

Fertile, humus-rich soil with good drainage; tolerates acidic to mildly alkaline conditions.

Height

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m) in leaf; flower stems to 4 ft (1.2 m)

Spread

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m)

Flowers

Pale lavender to almost white, bell-shaped flowers on tall stems in summer.

Foliage

Large, heart-shaped, prominently ribbed leaves with a blue-grey waxy coating; leaves become more textured with age and may turn greener as the coating wears away.

Growth

Moderate; allow several years to develop a full-sized clump.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

3. After 2 years

   2 ft (0.6 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.5 ft (0.75 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water at soil level during dry weather; do not let newly planted clumps dry out.
• Apply compost and a modest dose of balanced fertiliser in spring if growth is weak or soil is poor.
• Mulch with leaf mould or compost, keeping it clear of the crown.
• Allow space for the mature spread rather than crowding it among smaller plants.
• Divide only when needed for propagation or overcrowding; established clumps can remain undisturbed for years.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems back to the base unless you want seed. Remove collapsed foliage after autumn dieback, or in late winter before new shoots emerge.

Early spring

Clear old foliage before shoots emerge and check around the crown for slugs and snails.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps as growth begins; water thoroughly and mulch.

Late spring

Check soil moisture as the large leaves expand, especially near tree roots.

Summer

Water deeply in dry spells and remove finished flower stems if seed is not wanted.

Autumn

Remove frost-collapsed leaves and dispose of any foliage showing disease symptoms.

Winter

Check that the dormant crown is not sitting in waterlogged soil.

• Use as a broad foliage anchor in a shaded border, with smaller plants around its outer edge.
• Pair with ferns and astilbes for contrasting leaf shapes in moist woodland planting.
• Plant beside a shaded path where its large leaves can be seen closely without blocking access.
• Set against dark evergreen shrubs to highlight the blue-grey foliage.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Japanese, Blues and silvers, English country, Green on green and Pacific Northwest woodland.

Plant it with: Ferns, Astilbes, Brunnera, Japanese forest grass, Solomon's seal and Hellebores.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar for bees and, in North America, may attract hummingbirds. The foliage is frequently browsed by deer.

• Slugs and snails chew emerging shoots and leaves. Hand-pick, reduce nearby hiding places and use labelled iron-phosphate bait where necessary.
• Deer and rabbits may eat foliage. Protect plants with suitable fencing or guards where browsing is frequent.
• Hot sun and dry soil cause scorched edges and loss of blue colouring. Provide afternoon shade and consistent soil moisture.
• Hosta virus X can cause irregular mottling, distorted leaves or colour bleeding along veins. Remove infected plants, do not propagate them and disinfect cutting tools between plants.

All parts contain saponins and are toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten, potentially causing vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort. Hostas are not generally considered poisonous to people, but raw plant material may cause stomach upset; do not allow children or pets to eat it.

• Elegans hosta (Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans')

  Also has large blue-grey leaves, but they are generally rounder, more puckered and more cupped than the broader, flatter leaves of 'Blue Angel'. Young plants can be difficult to distinguish.

• Big Daddy hosta (Hosta 'Big Daddy')

  Usually forms a smaller mound with rounder, deeply cupped and heavily puckered blue leaves; 'Blue Angel' is broader and its mature leaves are less cup-shaped.

Hosta honours the Austrian botanist Nicolaus Thomas Host; 'Blue Angel' is the cultivar name.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring as shoots emerge, keeping several buds and a good root section on each division. Seedlings will not reliably retain the characteristics of 'Blue Angel'.

Accepted botanical name

Hosta

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.