H. ‘Mop Top’

Overview

Registered in 2009, this miniature cultivar resulted from an open-pollinated cross of (*Hosta* 'Little Jim' × *Hosta* 'Green Sheen'). *Hosta* 'Mop Top' is visually distinctive for its unusually narrow, lance-shaped leaves that emerge in a disordered, multidirectional pattern, creating a mounded form with a ruffled, moving appearance. The variegated foliage features dark green margins with slight rippling and a subtly shiny upper surface.

In the Garden

Reaching approximately 4 inches (10.2 cm) in height and 12 inches (30.5 cm) in diameter, this fast-growing miniature forms a compact, mound-like clump. It performs best in partial to full shade, as typical for hostas, and its small stature makes it well suited for troughs, containers, or the front of shaded borders. The narrow, folded leaves, each about 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) long and 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) wide with three vein pairs, provide fine texture that contrasts effectively with broader-leaved perennials such as ferns or *Heuchera*.

Care Notes

Provide consistent moisture during the growing season and apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. As with most hostas, slug and deer damage may occur; monitor regularly in typical hosta-growing zones.