The best blue hostas: 12 varieties and how to keep their colour
Quick answer
The best blue hostas range from the miniature Blue Mouse Ears to giants such as Big Daddy and Blue Angel. Their blue comes from a waxy coating that is thickest in spring and wears off in strong sun, heat and heavy rain, so plant them in shade or morning sun and water gently at the base. Varieties with a thick wax coat keep their colour longest.
On this page
Few hostas are as sought after as the blue ones, with their cool, powdery leaves. They are also the ones that ask for most care, because their colour is not part of the leaf itself. Below you will find why hostas are blue, how to keep the colour, and 12 of the best blue varieties from our range.
Why are blue hostas blue?
Blue hostas are really green. A waxy coating on the leaf scatters the light, and our eyes read it as blue: the thicker the coating, the bluer the hosta. The American Hosta Society notes that rubbing the wax off with your fingers quickly shows the green leaf underneath, and that the wax is at its thickest in the cool of spring.
Why do blue hostas lose their colour?
Because the wax wears off. Strong sun, heat and heavy rain all thin it. University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners add that hot sun, harsh watering and certain pesticides can make the wax melt off, and once it has gone the leaves do not regain their blue that season. Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden warns that a strong jet of water can remove it, and Clemson University's Home and Garden Information Center notes that blue-leaved cultivars sometimes fade to green after strong storms or vigorous watering. By autumn, many blue hostas look green; that is normal.
How to keep blue hostas blue
- Give them shade. Memorial University says blue forms tolerate the most shade of all hostas. Filtered light or morning sun only is ideal (see sun or shade).
- Water at the base, gently, and not over the leaves (see watering hostas).
- Avoid touching the leaves, because fingers rub the wax off.
- Shelter them from heavy rain under a tree canopy if you can.
- Choose varieties with a strong wax coat. Hosta specialists note that the thicker the wax layer, the more intense the blue and the longer it lasts.
12 of the best blue hostas
| Hosta | Size | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Mouse Ears | Miniature | Round, thick leaves; Hosta of the Year 2008; slug resistant; good in pots. |
| Canadian Blue | Small to medium | A solid powder-blue leaf. |
| Fragrant Blue | Small to medium | Blue leaves with fragrant flowers. |
| Bullet Proof | Medium | Slug resistant; also suits large pots. |
| First Frost | Small to medium | Blue centre with a cream edge; Hosta of the Year 2010; slug resistant. |
| Great Expectations | Medium to large | Blue and cream leaves; tagged sun tolerant. |
| Blue Angel | Large | Large blue-green leaves; slug resistant; a solid backbone for a shady border. |
| Elegans | Large | A classic broad blue leaf. |
| Blue Umbrellas | Large | Large blue-green leaves that suit a woodland-style bed. |
| Abiqua Drinking Gourd | Large to medium | Cupped, puckered leaves; Hosta of the Year winner. |
| Big Daddy | Extra large | Thick, puckered blue leaves; slug resistant. |
| Blue Vision | Extra large | A giant with blue leaves. |
Browse all blue hostas, or narrow the choice to miniature and small hostas for pots and edges, or large and giant hostas for borders.
Which blue hosta is right for you?
- For a pot or small space: Blue Mouse Ears or Canadian Blue.
- Where slugs are a problem: Blue Angel, Bullet Proof or Big Daddy, all tagged slug resistant. See slugs and snails on hostas.
- For fragrance: Fragrant Blue.
- For a bold focal point: Big Daddy or Blue Vision.
- For a little more sun: Great Expectations is tagged sun tolerant, but even then, give it afternoon shade (see hostas in full sun).
Common mistakes
- Planting a blue hosta in all-day sun.
- Watering from above, or with a hard jet.
- Expecting the colour to last through autumn.
- Wiping the leaves clean, which wipes the wax away.
In short
- Blue hostas are blue because of a waxy coating, which is thickest in spring.
- Strong sun, heat, heavy rain and hard watering wear it off.
- Plant them in shade or morning sun and water at the base.
- Choose a size and a trait that suit your garden, and let the colour fade naturally in late summer.
Questions & answers
Why are blue hostas blue?
A waxy coating on the leaf scatters the light, so the leaf looks blue. Underneath, the leaf is green. The thicker the coating, the bluer the hosta.
Why is my blue hosta turning green?
The wax wears off with strong sun, heat, heavy rain and hard watering, and thins as summer goes on. Many blue hostas look green by autumn, which is normal.
Can blue hostas grow in sun?
They do best in shade or morning sun. In strong sun the wax melts and the leaves turn green for the rest of the season.
Will the blue come back?
Not that season. A hosta makes new, waxy leaves each spring, and they are bluest when they first emerge.
Which blue hosta is the bluest?
Varieties with a thick wax coat hold their blue longest. Keeping any blue hosta in shade and watering it at the base matters more than the choice of variety.
