H. ‘Blue Jay’

Overview

Registered in 1987 by R. Benedict, this medium-sized cultivar resulted from self-pollination of *Hosta* 'Dorset Blue'. It is visually distinctive for its intensely blue-green leaf margins and cordate leaf bases, with leaves measuring 7 inches (17.8 cm) long by 5 inches (12.7 cm) wide and bearing 8 to 9 pairs of veins.

In the Garden

'Hosta 'Blue Jay' reaches a mature height of 10 inches (25.4 cm) and spreads to 12 inches (30.5 cm) in diameter, making it suitable for the middle of a shaded border or as a groundcover in partial to full shade. Its blue-green foliage pairs well with yellow-leaved hostas or ferns for contrast. The plant's compact size also suits rock gardens or small woodland settings.

Care Notes

Provide consistent moisture during the growing season, particularly in dry periods, and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Like most blue-leaved hostas, it is susceptible to slug damage and should be monitored in damp conditions; deer may browse the foliage where populations are high.