H. ‘Kiwi Hippo’
Hosta ‘Kiwi Hippo’ is a registered cultivar () .
| Year registered | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Section class | II-2 (Large) |
Overview
Registered in 1999, 'Kiwi Hippo' is a large hosta cultivar resulting from a cross between *Hosta hypoleuca* (pod parent) and *Hosta longipes* (pollen parent). It is visually distinctive for its substantial blue-green leaves with slightly rippled margins and a glaucous bloom on the undersides, combined with purplish-blue scapes.
In the Garden
This cultivar forms a mound approximately 31.5 inches (80.0 cm) in diameter and 15.75 inches (40.0 cm) in height, with individual leaves reaching 11.8 inches (30.0 cm) long and 9.45 inches (24.0 cm) wide. It performs best in partial to full shade, as is typical for blue-leaved hostas, where the glaucous bloom on the leaf undersides is most pronounced. Its substantial size makes it suitable as a specimen plant or as part of a mixed shade border, where it pairs well with ferns and other shade-tolerant perennials.
Care Notes
Provide consistent moisture during the growing season, applying a balanced fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. As with most large-leaved hostas, slug and deer damage may occur and should be managed through appropriate control methods.
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 15.75 in (40 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 31.5 in (80 cm) |
| Leaf length | 11.8 in (30 cm) |
| Leaf width | 9.45 in (24 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 13 |
| Leaf | slightly blue green slightly rippled margins; dull on top; glaucous bloom underneath |
| Flower scape height | 32–33 in (81.3–83.8 cm) |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
- Pod parent: H. hypoleuca
- Pollen parent: H. longipes
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (II-2, large size):
- H. ‘Queen of the Seas’ (2001)
- H. ‘Neptune’ (2006)
- H. ‘Blue Ripples’ (2009)
- H. ‘Blue Tips’ (2009)
- H. ‘Aksarben’ (1988)
- H. ‘Blue Rock’ (1986)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #3069