Guacamole Hosta

Guacamole Hosta (Hosta plantaginea 'Guacamole') is grown for big chartreuse leaves edged in darker green, in a mounded clump about 60cm high and up to 1m across. Unlike most hostas it also flowers properly: large white trumpets in late summer with a genuine perfume, strong enough to scent a shaded courtyard in the evening. It is a shade plant that tolerates wet ground, which narrows the field considerably.

Why you'll love it

• Leaf colour that lights up shade. The chartreuse centres brighten as the season goes on, and the darker margins stop the leaf looking washed out.
• Fragrant flowers, not token ones. Large white trumpets in late summer, scented, held on stems clear of the foliage.
• It handles wet feet. Damp beds, low spots and the edge of a pond all suit it, which most perennials will not accept.
• It covers real ground. One established clump takes up close to a square metre of shaded bed.

Where it works best

Borders and mass planting. Plant 70cm apart for a lush leafy groundcover under deciduous trees or along a shaded fence. At that spacing the leaves overlap and shade out most weeds by midsummer.

Pots and small gardens. A 400mm pot suits a single clump, and a pot lifts the foliage away from slugs and snails. Group three on a shaded landing for the same effect as a bed.

Damp and difficult spots. Wet feet tolerance makes it one of the few options for a low bed that stays soggy after rain, or the shaded side of a water feature.

Growing Guacamole Hosta in Australia

Position and climate. Partial shade, ideally morning sun with afternoon shade, gives the best leaf colour, and full afternoon sun scorches it. It is frost hardy and needs a genuine cold winter dormancy, so it belongs in cool temperate and warm temperate gardens.

Soil. Deep, rich, moisture retentive soil with plenty of compost. It accepts damp ground, though it grows better where water moves through rather than stagnates. Mulch 50mm deep in spring once the shoots are up.

Water and feed. Keep the soil moist through spring and summer, since dry soil gives smaller leaves and browned edges. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser as the shoots emerge in spring, and stop feeding by late summer.

Pruning. Remove flower stems once they finish. The foliage yellows and collapses in late autumn and should be cleared away, which also removes slug shelter. New shoots push up from the crown the following spring.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tube stock, and availability moves, so check the size selector before ordering for a planned bed. A tube is a young crown with a few small leaves, nothing like the mature clump in the photographs. Hostas build slowly: a modest first year, a better second year, close to full size in the third.

If it arrives in winter it may be dormant, with little or no top growth. That is normal for a deciduous perennial rather than a fault, so plant it, mark the spot and wait for spring. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Groundcover plants for shaded gardens
• Browse plants for partial shade
• Perennials for cool climate gardens
• Other fragrant plants for the garden

Common questions

Will it grow in Queensland or the tropics?

No, and it is worth being clear about that. Hostas need a cold winter dormancy, so in subtropical and tropical gardens they decline after a season or two.

How do I stop slugs and snails wrecking the leaves?

Slug damage is the main complaint with hostas. Clear old foliage away in autumn to remove shelter, water in the morning rather than the evening, and scatter an iron based bait as the shoots emerge.

Is it toxic to cats and dogs?

Yes. Hostas contain saponins and are toxic to cats and dogs, with vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy the usual signs. Choose something else if you have a pet that digs up and chews garden plants.