Hosta, Halcyon

Hosta 'Halcyon'

Height: 16-18in
Spread: 36-42in
Zone: 4-8
Exposure: Part shade to full shade
Bloom Time/Color: July-August; lavender
Uses: Shade gardens, massing, specimen, borders
Maintenance: Medium
Other: Attracts hummingbirds, cut flower

Hostas continue to be the mainstays of the shade garden and the backdrops for other smaller perennials. If given consistent even moisture, hostas can be planted in most soils in shade and will require little care thereafter. Hostas will grow into large clumps and can be easily divided and moved; plant in mass or borders for a bold effect. Aside from the varying color schemes of hosta leaves, most are green and will produce slender stalks of bell-shaped flowers by mid-summer. Both the leaves and flowers make decent cut flowers and can be used in mixed arrangements. Flowers also attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. The excellent powder-blue shades of 'Halcyon' are accented by lavender flowers in late summer and its thick leaves are also considered more slug resistant than other hostas.