H. ‘Tucker Blues’

Overview

Registered in 1990 by R. Stephens, *Hosta* 'Tucker Blues' is a large hybrid derived from *H. montana* (pod parent) and *H.* 'Fortunei Aureomarginata' (pollen parent). This cultivar is visually distinctive for its substantial blue-green leaves, which reach 10.5 inches (26.7 cm) in length and 9.5 inches (24.1 cm) in width, with 18 pairs of veins and very small, blue-tinted undulations along the margins.

In the Garden

'Tucker Blues' forms a dense clump reaching 24 inches (61.0 cm) in height and 48 inches (121.9 cm) in diameter, making it suitable for mid-border or specimen placement in partial to full shade. Its large, blue-green foliage provides strong contrast when paired with golden or chartreuse hostas, ferns, or shade-tolerant perennials such as *Heuchera* or *Astilbe*. The scape height is recorded as 35 inches (88.9 cm), though the upper measurement is listed as 0 inches, suggesting variable or unreported scape length; in typical conditions, flower stalks rise above the foliage.

Care Notes

Provide consistent moisture, particularly during dry periods, and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as growth emerges. Like most large-leaved hostas, 'Tucker Blues' is susceptible to slug and deer damage in typical hosta-growing zones; monitor and manage accordingly.