H. ‘Crusader’

Overview

Registered in 1989 by W. & E. Lachman, this medium-sized hosta cultivar is distinguished by its dark green leaves with wide, white margins. The foliage is broadly ovate, measuring 7 inches (17.8 cm) long and 5.5 inches (14.0 cm) wide, with 9 to 10 pairs of veins.

In the Garden

Hosta 'Crusader' forms a dense clump reaching 30 inches (76.2 cm) in diameter and 16 inches (40.6 cm) in height, making it suitable for mid-border positions or as a groundcover in partial to full shade. Its white-margined leaves provide contrast when paired with solid green or gold-foliaged hostas, ferns, or shade-tolerant perennials such as *Heuchera* and *Astilbe*. The scape height is recorded as 26 inches (66.0 cm), though the upper measurement is not specified.

Care Notes

Grow in moist, well-drained soil and water regularly during dry periods; apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Like most hostas, this cultivar is susceptible to slug and deer damage, particularly in shaded, damp conditions.