H. ‘Carnival’

Overview

Registered in 1986, Hosta 'Carnival' is a large-sized cultivar of unknown parentage, distinguished by its dark green, broadly ovate leaves with wide, yellow, slightly wavy margins. The foliage is dull on the upper surface and very shiny beneath, with 12 to 13 pairs of veins.

In the Garden

This cultivar forms a substantial clump reaching 44 inches (111.8 cm) in diameter and 18 inches (45.7 cm) in height, making it suitable for mid-border or specimen placement in partial to full shade. Its large leaves and contrasting margins pair well with ferns, astilbes, or other shade-tolerant perennials. The scape height is recorded as 30 inches (76.2 cm), though the terminal measurement is zero, suggesting the scape may be variable or incompletely documented.

Care Notes

Provide consistent moisture and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as growth emerges. Like most hostas, it is susceptible to slug and deer damage; monitor regularly and manage as needed. Typical hosta-growing zones apply.