H. ‘Iroquois’

Overview

Registered in 2007, Hosta 'Iroquois' is a large cultivar resulting from a cross between Hosta 'Blue Steel' (pod parent) and a seedling of Hosta 'Dorothy Benedict' (pollen parent). It is visually distinctive for its intensely blue-green, nearly round leaves with heavily puckered and humped surfaces between the veins, combined with a glaucous bloom on both leaf surfaces.

In the Garden

Hosta 'Iroquois' forms an upright mound reaching 26 inches (66.0 cm) in height and 42 inches (106.7 cm) in diameter at maturity, with a slow growth rate. It performs best in partial to full shade, as is typical for blue-leaved hostas, where its glaucous bloom remains most pronounced. The substantial leaf size and corrugated texture make it a strong specimen plant or a bold accent in mixed shade borders.

Care Notes

Provide consistent moisture, particularly during dry periods, to maintain leaf turgor and the integrity of the glaucous coating. Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Slugs may damage the broad leaves in damp conditions, though the heavy corrugation offers some physical resistance; deer will browse the foliage. This cultivar is hardy in typical hosta-growing zones.