H. ‘Blue Valentine’

Overview

Registered in 2010 by R. Kuenster, *Hosta* 'Blue Valentine' is a small, slow-growing cultivar notable for its heavy-textured, blue-green foliage with a glaucous bloom on both surfaces. The broadly ovate leaves, measuring 3 inches long and 2.125 inches wide, feature cordate bases, lightly corrugated surfaces, and flat blue margins, forming a compact mound 5.5 inches high and 10 inches in diameter.

In the Garden

'Blue Valentine' is suited to partial to full shade, typical for blue-leaved hostas, where its glaucous foliage color develops best. Its small size and slow growth make it appropriate for rock gardens, troughs, or the front of shaded borders, where it pairs well with small ferns or woodland groundcovers such as *Asarum* or *Tiarella*. The cultivar is also suitable for container cultivation given its compact dimensions.

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. As with many hostas, slug and deer damage may occur, though the heavy leaf texture may offer slight resistance to pests.