H. ‘Cool as a Cucumber’

Overview

Registered in 2012 as a sport of Hosta 'Cascades', 'Cool as a Cucumber' is a large-sized cultivar distinguished by its broad, lance-shaped green leaves with creamy white margins and flat leaf surfaces. The plant forms a substantial mound up to 48 inches (121.9 cm) in diameter and 32 inches (81.3 cm) in height, with leaves measuring 14 inches (35.6 cm) long and 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) wide, bearing seven to eight pairs of veins.

In the Garden

'Cool as a Cucumber' performs best in partial to full shade, where its white margins remain most stable and do not scorch. At mature size, this cultivar commands significant space in the landscape, making it suitable as a specimen or as part of a mixed shade border with ferns, astilbes, and other large hostas. Its moderate growth rate and substantial dimensions also allow it to function as a groundcover in larger shaded areas.

Care Notes

Provide consistent moisture during dry periods, particularly in the first growing season, and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Like most large-leaved hostas, this cultivar is susceptible to slug and deer damage; regular monitoring and appropriate controls are recommended in typical hosta-growing zones.