Hosta 'Earth Angel'

Hosta 'Earth Angel': A Halo of Elegance in the Shade

Grand and glowing, Hosta 'Earth Angel' unfurls broad, heart-shaped leaves edged in creamy white, with blue-green centres that deepen as the season progresses. This stately selection forms a large, layered mound that radiates light in shaded spaces. In midsummer, tall scapes carry pale lavender blooms that flutter above the luminous foliage like a soft summer chorus.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 60–75 cm
• Spread: 120–140 cm, forming a graceful, arching clump
• Flower Colour: Pale lavender
• Flowering Period: Midsummer
• Foliage: Large, heart-shaped blue-green leaves with creamy white margins; thick and softly puckered
• Sunlight Requirements: Partial to full shade
• Soil Requirements: Rich, moist, well-drained soil

Uses and Benefits: Hosta 'Earth Angel' is a commanding presence in the shade garden, perfect for anchoring borders, softening woodland paths, or standing alone as a specimen. Its luminous variegation brings light to darker areas, while its size offers architectural heft. Loved by pollinators when in bloom and by gardeners year-round, it adds timeless elegance and dependable structure to any shade planting.

Companion Plants: Combine Hosta 'Earth Angel' with Dryopteris 'Brilliance', whose coppery-tinted new fronds offer rich contrast and early-season interest. Add Astilbe 'Visions in Red' for dramatic plumes that complement the hosta’s creamy margins. Finish with Hakonechloa macra, a refined green ornamental grass that introduces gentle motion and highlights the hosta’s full, arching form.

Care Instructions: Plant in partial to full shade with fertile, moist soil that drains well. Water consistently during dry periods to support the large foliage. Cut back spent flower stalks and tidy old leaves in early spring. Divide every 4–5 years in spring to rejuvenate growth and maintain size.

History: Hosta 'Earth Angel' is a sport of the classic 'Blue Angel' and was the first variegated hosta to be named Hosta of the Year by the American Hosta Growers Association in 2009. It combines heritage charm with garden performance, earning its place in shade gardens across North America.

Final Thoughts: Radiant and serene, Hosta 'Earth Angel' offers a luminous focal point for shady spaces, its creamy margins like a soft glow beneath the trees. A hosta for those who love elegance writ large.