Hostas for Shade: Matching the Right Hosta to Your Shade
Short answer
Hostas are shade plants: all of them grow best in full to part shade (Iowa State University Extension). NC State Extension describes their range as dappled sun to deep shade, meaning less than 2 hours of direct sun (NC State Extension). But “shade” is not one condition. Leaf colour decides which hosta suits which kind of shade:
- Blue hostas generally need heavy shade to keep their blue colour (Iowa State). The blue is a waxy coating on a green leaf (The Hosta Helper), and it lasts longer out of sun and heat.
- Hostas with a lot of white or cream variegation should also be in shade to keep the leaves from burning (Iowa State).
- Gold and yellow hostas develop their best colour with partial sun, about 4–6 hours (Iowa State). In deep shade they still grow but look greener.
- Plain green hostas are the most flexible and fill the gaps between light and deep shade.
Shade can also be too dark. Dense shade under low-branched evergreens or large-leaved trees may not give hostas enough light (University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension).
Which hosta for which shade
| Kind of shade | Good leaf types | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Light or dappled shade, some morning sun | Gold, yellow, green, white-margined | Gold types colour best here (Iowa State) |
| Full shade (bright, no direct sun) | Blue, green, white-centred | Blue colour lasts longest (Iowa State) |
| Deep shade under dense evergreens | Few hostas do well | May not get enough light (UNL Extension) |
| Dry shade under trees | Small hostas, with steady watering | Tree roots compete for water (UNL Extension) |
In hot southern regions, keep all hostas in full or dappled shade (NC State Extension).
Shade hostas worth knowing
Sizes below are the mature height × spread from each cultivar’s American Hosta Society registry record. Leaf descriptions come from the same records.
| Cultivar | Registry size (height × spread) | Leaf (registry) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mouse Ears | 5 × 9 in (13 × 23 cm), miniature | Medium blue-green, 2.8 × 2 in (#646) | Edging, troughs, the front of a shady bed |
| June | 15 × 20 in (38 × 51 cm), small | Light yellow centre, dark blue-green margin (#2939) | Brightening part shade |
| Halcyon | 21 × 23 in (53 × 58 cm), small | Blue (#2422) | Full shade, where the blue holds |
| First Frost | 16 × 36 in (41 × 91 cm), medium | Intense blue-green; narrow margin, yellow becoming white (#1776) | Light to full shade |
| Fire and Ice | No plant size recorded; small (class IV) | Pure white centre, 1 in dark green margin (#1764) | Bright shade; the white centre burns in sun |
| Krossa Regal | 36 × 36 in (91 × 91 cm), giant | Blue-grey, upright plant (#3109) | A vase-shaped accent |
| Empress Wu | 50 × 108 in (127 × 274 cm), giant | Dark green, 28 × 25 in (#1637) | A focal point in a large shady bed |
| Komodo Dragon | 30 × 84 in (76 × 213 cm), giant | Dark green, wavy (#3097) | Filling a large space |
| Niagara Falls | 20 × 36 in (51 × 91 cm), giant class | Dark green with deep undulations (#4012) | Texture in mid-border |
| Colossal | 28 × 48 in (71 × 122 cm), large | Dark green (#1132) | A big green backdrop |
Note that Colossal is a dark green hosta, not a blue one, and June has a yellow centre with blue-green edges rather than white edges. Both were described wrongly in an earlier version of this page. For more large plants see giant hostas; for small ones, dwarf hostas.
Planting hostas under trees
Planting under trees is the most common way hostas end up in shade, and it needs a little care (University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension):
- Choose small plants. Small hostas with small root masses fit between tree roots with less digging.
- Don’t bury the roots. Adding more than 2–3 inches of soil over a tree’s root zone can harm the tree.
- Plan to water. Tree roots take up much of the moisture, so hostas in a root zone usually need regular watering for as long as they grow there.
- Check the light. Hostas need some light. The dense, dark shade under low-branched evergreens or large-leaved shade trees may not provide enough, so choose a brighter spot there.
Soil, water and spacing
- Soil: hostas prefer well-drained, slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter. UNL suggests working 2–3 inches of compost into the top 10 inches before planting, and avoiding poorly drained sites, where crown rot is a risk (UNL Extension; NC State Extension).
- Water: keep the soil moist; drip or soaker hoses are better than overhead watering, and dry leaves help blue hostas keep their colour (UNL Extension).
- Mulch: about 1 inch of organic mulch in early summer; thicker mulch encourages slugs (UNL Extension).
- Feeding: too much nitrogen gives soft foliage and weaker variegation (UNL Extension). See hosta care.
- Spacing: roughly 8–12 inches for small hostas, 12–24 inches for medium and about 36 inches for large ones (UNL Extension).
Pests in shady beds
Shady, moist beds suit slugs and snails, the most common hosta pests. Deer and rabbits also eat the leaves, and voles, nematodes and black vine weevil can cause damage (NC State Extension). See hosta pests and diseases, and our guides to slug and deer deterrents and deer repellents.
Frequently asked questions
Can hostas grow in full shade?
Yes, as long as it is bright shade. Hostas grow best in full to part shade (Iowa State), but very dense shade, such as under low evergreens, may be too dark (UNL Extension).
Why did my blue hosta turn green?
Usually because of too much sun or heat. Blue hostas generally need heavy shade to keep their colour (Iowa State). See blue hostas.
What grows well with hostas in shade?
Our guide to companion plants for hostas covers shade perennials that pair well with them.
Related guides
Sources
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach — All about hostas
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension — Hostas (NebGuide G1683)
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Hosta
- The Hosta Helper (American Hosta Society) — Leaf color
- American Hosta Society Registry records — #646 ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, #1132 ‘Colossal’, #1637 ‘Empress Wu’, #1764 ‘Fire and Ice’, #1776 ‘First Frost’, #2422 ‘Halcyon’, #2939 ‘June’, #3097 ‘Komodo Dragon’, #3109 ‘Krossa Regal’, #4012 ‘Niagara Falls’