H. ‘Academy Flaxen Spades’

Overview

Registered in 2002, this medium-sized cultivar produces distinctive spade-shaped leaves that are blue-green with greenish-yellow to gold margins. The foliage resembles an enlarged, chartreuse version of its pod parent, *H. 'Vanilla Cream'*, with a slightly shiny upper surface and glaucous bloom beneath.

In the Garden

*Academy Flaxen Spades* forms a mound 20 inches (50.8 cm) tall and 40 inches (101.6 cm) in diameter, with a moderate growth rate. It performs best in partial to dappled shade, where the leaf coloration remains truest. The broad, nearly round leaves with flat bases and light corrugation pair well with ferns, astilbes, and other shade perennials that contrast in texture.

Care Notes

Provide consistent moisture, especially during dry periods, and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Standard slug and deer precautions are advisable, as both pests may damage the foliage in typical hosta-growing zones.