H. ‘The Mamas and the Papas’

Overview

Registered in 2002, this medium-sized cultivar (pod parent *Hosta* 'Foxy Doxy', pollen parent *H.* 'Maekawa') is visually distinctive for its blue-green leaves with creamy white margins that exhibit variable, unstable streaking. The leaf surface is slightly shiny above with a glaucous bloom beneath, and the margins are moderately rippled.

In the Garden

*Hosta* 'The Mamas and the Papas' forms an upright clump reaching 20 inches (50.8 cm) in height and 34 inches (86.4 cm) in diameter, with a moderate growth rate. It performs best in partial to full shade, typical for blue-leaved hostas, where the glaucous bloom on the undersides remains most pronounced. The 9.25-inch (23.5 cm) ovate leaves with rounded bases and 11 to 12 prominent vein pairs pair well with ferns, heucheras, and other shade perennials; its medium size makes it suitable for border middles or woodland garden drifts.

Care Notes

Water regularly during dry periods to maintain leaf turgor, and apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Like most hostas, it is susceptible to slug and deer damage; monitor for these pests in moist, shaded conditions.