H. ‘Heart Strings’
Hosta ‘Heart Strings’ is a registered cultivar () .
| Year registered | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Section class | IV-3 (Small) |
Overview
Registered in 2016, *Hosta* 'Heart Strings' is a small-sized cultivar resulting from a cross between *H.* 'Paradise Joyce' (pod parent) and *H.* 'Fire Island' (pollen parent). This cultivar is visually distinctive for its blue-green, heart-shaped leaves with gold margins and prominent veins that turn creamy white as the leaf matures, leaving darker green streaks that create a "stringed" appearance.
In the Garden
'Heart Strings' forms a compact, mound-like clump reaching 15 inches (38.1 cm) in height and 25 inches (63.5 cm) in diameter, with a moderate growth rate. It performs best in partial to full shade, typical of most hostas, and its small stature makes it well-suited for container culture, rock gardens, or the front of shaded borders. Companion plants include ferns, heucheras, and other small woodland perennials that complement its blue-green foliage.
Care Notes
Provide consistent moisture, especially during dry periods, and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Like most hostas, 'Heart Strings' may be susceptible to slug and deer damage in garden settings.
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 15 in (38.1 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 25 in (63.5 cm) |
| Leaf length | 6 in (15.2 cm) |
| Leaf width | 4.75 in (12.1 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 9 |
| Leaf | greenish yellow flat margins; dull on top; glaucous bloom underneath; moderately corrugated, moderately flat overall. |
| Flower scape height | 15–18 in (38.1–45.7 cm) |
| Seasonal colour change | albescent; changes to creamy white leaving green streaks between the veins by July/August |
| Notable characteristics | Albescent , heart-shaped leaves with distinctive prominent veins. As the veins turn creamy white, there remains darker green streaks giving the appearance of "strings" on the leaves. |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
- Pod parent: H. 'Paradise Joyce'
- Pollen parent: H. 'Fire Island' — H. ‘Fire Island’
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (IV-3, small size):
- H. ‘Peach Salsa’ (2013)
- H. ‘Post-it’ (2012)
- H. ‘Blonde Elf’ (2010)
- H. ‘Little Miss Magic’ (2004)
- H. ‘Fire Island’ (1998)
- H. ‘Gold Cadet’ (1974)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #2477