Is there such a thing as sun tolerant Hostas? Find out which varieties fare better in sunny areas and those to avoid plus growing tips for “sun” Hostas.

How many times have you been on a garden tour or greenhouse nursery and have seen a Hosta variety that you truly adore? The kind that makes avid gardeners like myself, take notes on these outings and write down all the names of the excellent varieties they want to add to their own gardens. However if you are like me, I have a tendancy to forget to take note of the planting conditions and sun exposure that makes these specimens perform their best.

Did you know there are over 8000 Hosta cultivars and the list continues to grow each year? If you have done any perennial gardening, then you are probably aware that Hosta's for the most part,  are and will always be, part sun to full shade kinda gals, but here are three useful tips to remember when planting these shade-lovers in full sun vantages, making them right for many garden oasis'.  

Tip 1: Those that are blue-green or varigated in colour generally perform better in shaded areas.  

Tip 2: Thick leaved, chartreuse, green or golden leaves will usually tolerate much more sun, when provided the right conditions.

Tip 3:  Make sure to provide your hosta with even moisture, fertile soil and enough root space. 

Hosta's, like most shade plants, do not like to get sunburned, so if you see signs of wilt, stalled growth, brown leaf edges or brown spots, that means they are drying out too much and may need to be moved until you find their 'sweet spot."

 If you can take appropriate care and maintain an even amount of moisture, there are some beautiful varieties more tolerant to the hot sun that others.  So if you have a full sun, curb-appeal garden screaming for the gracefulness of hostas, here's a good place to start. 

Albo-marginata

Antioch

Aphrodite (fragrant blooms)

August Moon (yellow)

Aureo-marginata (yellow edge)

Big Daddy

Blue Angel

Blue Whale

Bright Lights

Bressingham Blue

Emerald Tiara

Fire and Ice (white leaves, green edges)

Fragrant Bouquet (fragrant, yellow edges)

Francee (thin white edges)

Fried Bananas

Fried Green Tomatoes (fragrant)

Gold Drop (petite)

Gold Regal (yellow)

Gold Standard (yellow)

Golden Tiara

Ground Sulphur

Guacamole (fragrant, chartreuse, green edges)

Halcyon

Honey Bells (fragrant)

Hosta plantaginea (bright grn, heavily fragrant)

Hydon Sunset

Inniswood (yellow variegated)

Invincible (fragrant)

June

King Tut

Komodo Dragon

Krossa Regal

Lady Isobel

Lancifolia

Liberty (thick leaves)

Medio-vargata undulata

Montana (all green)

Montreal Blue Ice Storm (lg leaved, drk grn)

Nakai

Nigrescens

Paradigm

Parky's Gold

Patriot (white edges)

Paul's Glory (chartreuse, wide, green edges)

Pearl Lake

Popcorn

Queen Josephine

Rainforest Sunrise

Regal Splendor

Revolution (drk grn, ivory inside)

Rhino Hide (thick leaves)

Royal Standard (fragrant, heart-shaped, green)

Sagae

Sea Fire

Shade Fanfare

Sieboldiana

So Sweet (fragrant)

Stained Glass (golden yellow, drk grn edges)

Stilleto (lanceolate grn, thin white edges)

Sugar and Cream (fragrant)

Sum & Substance (chartreuse, gold)

Summer Fragrance (fragrant)

Sundance (variegated yellow)

Sun Power (yellow-tinged)

Thunderbolt (thick leaves)

Touch of Class

Twist of Lime

Vulcan (heart-shaped,dr grn edges, white centers)

Wolverine

You just have to try it in your setting and soil and see how it works.  If there isn’t any afternoon shade, then consider planting something different near it that will offer some shade or use some man-made shade.

Happy Planting!!!