Hosta 'Brother Stefan'

Hosta 'Brother Stefan': Gold Hearts in Blue-Green Armour

Golden centres, streaky blue-green edges and leaves so thick and ridged you could grate cheese on them. This hosta is built like A CAST-IRON SKILLET, and the slugs treat it like a hot one.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Hosta 'Brother Stefan'
• Common Name: Plantain Lily, Hosta
• Height: 45–55 cm (18–22 in)
• Spread: 80–90 cm (31–36 in)
• Flowers: Near white
• Bloom Time: Early summer (June to July)
• Foliage: Thick, deeply corrugated leaves with golden yellow centres and wide, streaky blue-green margins
• Features: Good slug resistance, Hosta of the Year 2017

Where to Plant: It's bold enough for a focal point in a shady border, near a bench, or at a bend in a woodland path, and bright shade or morning sun suits it best. It tolerates black walnut, but protect it if deer and rabbits visit.

Companion Plants: Brunnera 'Jack Frost' gives blue flowers in April and May at 30 to 38 cm. Carex 'Bowles Golden' adds a fine, grassy texture at 60 to 90 cm beside the broad hosta leaves. Symphyotrichum cordifolium flowers blue from September into October, carrying the bed into fall. Each one grows in shade to partial sun.

Plant Care: Plant in moist, rich, well-drained soil with compost mixed in. Bright shade or gentle morning sun gives the best colour; hot afternoon sun can scorch the leaves. Water deeply in dry spells and mulch to hold moisture. It grows at a moderate pace and gets more impressive each year. Remove the flower scapes after bloom, clear the leaves after a hard frost, and divide in spring as the shoots emerge.

History: Olga Petryszyn of Indiana bred 'Brother Stefan' from a cross of 'King Tut' with a seedling of 'Mildred Seaver', registered it in 1998 and named it after her brother. The American Hosta Growers Association named it Hosta of the Year in 2017.

Final Thoughts: Bright shade or morning sun brings out the gold. Plant it once and let it bulk up into a showpiece. SEASONED TO PERFECTION.