H. ‘Iroquois’
Hosta ‘Iroquois’ is a registered cultivar () .
| Year registered | 2007 |
|---|---|
| Section class | II-2 (Large) |
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.
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 26 in (66 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 42 in (106.7 cm) |
| Leaf length | 11 in (27.9 cm) |
| Leaf width | 10.5 in (26.7 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 18 |
| Leaf | intensely blue-green slightly rippled margins; glaucous bloom on top; glaucous bloom underneath; lightly cupped, intensely corrugated |
| Flower scape height | 27–31 in (68.6–78.7 cm) |
| Notable characteristics | intense puckering and humping between veins |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
- Pod parent: H. 'Blue Steel' — H. ‘Blue Steel’
- Pollen parent: H. 'Dorothy Benedict' seedling #3 — H. ‘Dorothy Benedict’
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (II-2, large size):
- H. ‘Neptune’ (2006)
- H. ‘Blue Ripples’ (2009)
- H. ‘Blue Tips’ (2009)
- H. ‘Queen of the Seas’ (2001)
- H. ‘Aksarben’ (1988)
- H. ‘Blue Rock’ (1986)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #2766