H. ‘Guacamole’
Hosta ‘Guacamole’ is a registered cultivar () .
| Year registered | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Section class | III-6a (Medium) |
Last checked against the AHS registry:
What it looks like
'Guacamole' has very shiny leaves (registry: "very shiny on top; very shiny underneath") with a yellow-gold to chartreuse center and a dark green margin about 0.75 in wide. The Hosta of the Year booklet calls the center "apple green". Its flowers are 3.5 in long, near white in the registry and pale lavender in the booklet, and fragrant (booklet), recorded in North Carolina from mid July to mid August.
Registered size vs. grown size
| Source | Height | Width | Leaf (L × W) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AHS Registry record (1994) | 10 in (25 cm) | 18 in (46 cm) | 8 × 6 in (20 × 15 cm) |
| AHS Hosta of the Year booklet | 24 in (61 cm) | 54 in (137 cm) | — |
The registry measured a 2-year-old clump; the booklet describes a "Large" plant. The two figures come from different sources and are not measurements of the same clump.
Where it fits
The booklet calls it a large, mounding plant; the registry describes the habit as "open, semi-upright". The booklet also lists "good sun tolerance" and a "rapid growth rate".
How it compares
- 'Stained Glass' is a sport of 'Guacamole'. The booklet says it shows its variegation earlier and keeps a brighter gold all season; the registry gives it a 2 in dark green margin and a clump of 32 in across and 15 in high. Pick it if a wider green frame matters more than gloss: the registry records its leaf as dull, where 'Guacamole' is very shiny.
- 'Fragrant Bouquet' is the parent and the reverse: apple green center with a wide yellow-to-cream margin (booklet), on a clump the booklet sizes at 22 × 48 in.
- 'June Fever' is a golden yellow hosta with only a 0.2 in dark green margin (registry).
Parentage and awards
Sport of 'Fragrant Bouquet' (registry and booklet). Originated, named, introduced and registered by R. Solberg.
- AHGA Hosta of the Year 2002 (booklet; registry comments).
- Benedict Medal for Garden Performance 2025; Awards of Merit 2009 and 2024; Honorable Mention 2023 (AHS Benedict list).
- Listed in AHS Popularity Polls 2001–2015.
Limits and unknowns
The registry and booklet differ on flower color (near white vs pale lavender). "Good sun tolerance" is not quantified. Neither AHS source says how it fares against slugs. See our hosta care guide for general care.
Sources
Profile written and checked against the sources above on .
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 10 in (25.4 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 18 in (45.7 cm) |
| Leaf length | 8 in (20.3 cm) |
| Leaf width | 6 in (15.2 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 6 |
| Leaf | yellow gold with .75in (1.9cm) wide, dark green, smooth margins; very shiny on top; very shiny underneath |
| Flower scape height | 30–38 in (76.2–96.5 cm) |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
Registered cultivars that list Hosta ‘Guacamole’ as a parent:
- H. ‘Quesadilla’ (sport)
- H. ‘Avocado’ (sport)
- H. ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ (sport)
- H. ‘Heart of Hearts’ (seedling (pollen parent))
- H. ‘Holy Mole’ (sport)
- H. ‘Mariachi’ (sport)
- H. ‘Salsa’ (sport)
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (III-6a, medium size):
- H. ‘Proud Peacock’ (2016)
- H. ‘Cascades’ (1993)
- H. ‘Hoosier Harmony’ (1995)
- H. ‘Inniswood’ (1993)
- H. ‘Kingwood Center’ (1993)
- H. ‘My Love Dorothy’ (1995)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #2394. How we check this data.