Hosta 'Halcyon'

Hosta 'Halcyon': Thick, Cool Blue That Slugs Find Tough

Smooth, pointed, deep blue leaves with the calm of somebody who's already done their taxes. 'Halcyon' just sits there in the shade being SERENE while the rest of the garden loses its keys.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Hosta (Tardiana Group) 'Halcyon'
• Common Name: Plantain lily, hosta
• Height: 45 cm (18 in) foliage, with flower stems to about 70 cm (28 in)
• Spread: 80–110 cm (31–43 in)
• Flowers: Pale lavender-blue
• Bloom Time: Mid to late summer (July to August)
• Foliage: Thick, smooth, pointed blue leaves with a slight wave
• Features: RHS Award of Garden Merit, Hosta of the Year 2026

Where to Plant: Use it to edge a shady bed, line a woodland path, or bring cool colour to the front of a border. In a container, the blue leaves stand out against dark pots.

Companion Plants: Plant blue 'Halcyon' in a moist, shady bed with silver brunnera, silver heuchera and dark bugbane. Brunnera 'Alexander's Great' opens sky-blue flowers at 35 to 40 cm in April and May over big silver leaves. Heuchera 'Silver Scrolls' adds silver leaves with dark veins at 20 cm. Cimicifuga 'Chocoholic' brings dark leaves and mauve-pink spikes at 90 to 120 cm from August to October. Carex 'Ice Dance' edges the front with white-edged blades at 30 cm.

Plant Care: Plant it in rich, moist, well-drained soil with compost. The blue comes from a waxy coating on the leaves, and it is strongest in shade. Strong sun and hot weather wear the coating off and the leaves turn greener, so give it morning sun at most. Water during dry spells, especially in the first season. Deer and rabbits still find it tasty, so protect it if they visit. Cut the flower stems after bloom and clear the leaves after a hard frost. Divide in spring if you want more plants.

History: English hybridizer Eric Smith raised 'Halcyon' in 1961 from a cross of Hosta 'Tardiflora' and 'Elegans', and it became one of the first plants in what became the Tardiana Group before being registered in 1988. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit, and in 2026 the American Hosta Society named it Hosta of the Year, the first time the society gave that award.

Final Thoughts: Give it shade and leave it alone, and that's the whole plan. INNER PEACE, SOLD BY THE POT.