Stargazer Perennials Farm and Nursery

Hosta Great Expectations


Hosta Great Expectations


Hosta Great ExpectationsHosta Great Expectations is a favorite hosta among gardeners, prized for its unique large, textured leaves that have a puckered appearance. The large leaves of Hosta Great Expectations are bi-colored, with creamy-yellow centers, and wide sea-green margins.

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Quick Facts About Hosta Great Expectations:

  • BLOOM TIME: Summer, fragrant
  • MATURE SIZE: 28" x 30"
  • USDA HARDINESS: Zones 3-8
  • SUN TOLERANCE: Good, best with afternoon shade
  • FOLIAGE: Bright yellow centers, sea-green margins on heavily textured leaf
Plant Hosta Great Expectations in a shade perennial garden paired with hardy ferns, astilbe, bleeding hearts, and heucheras. The highly textured leaves of this hardy hosta catch drops of dew and cast a shimmering light in the shade garden. Great Expectations is an ideal hosta to plant in groups of 3 to 5, to create a showy expanse of variegated foliage.

Nomenclature:
  The hosta’s common name, plantain lily, was inspired by the large size of its leaves and comes from the Latin word meaning "sole of the foot." The genus was named in honor of Nicolaus Thomas Host (1761–1834), physician to the emperor in Vienna.

Planting Requirements for Hosta:
Bare root hosta plants perform best when planted in the early spring or late fall, while container-grown hostas can be planted anytime during the growing season with success. Hostas are shade loving garden perennial plants that tend to prefer a filtered shade location. A quick way to determine sun tolerance of a particular hosta is to use the color of the leaves as a reference; yellow hostas tend to be the most tolerant, while blue and dark green varieties are least tolerant of direct sun.
 
Start your hosta plant off right by planting in amended soil that has good drainage. Amend the garden soil with compost or other organic soil amendments. Avoid using animal manure due to thigh salt content, which can burn the leaves of hostas. When planting Host Great Expectations, space plants 24 inches apart, and plant in a zigzag pattern, rather than in a straight line.

Fertilize hostas once in the spring with an all purpose, slow-release, organic fertilizer and again mid summer. Avoid watering hostas in the evening to help deter slugs and snails. If slugs and snails are a problem, apply Sluggo Plus around the base of the plants.

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