Plantain Lily 'Halcyon' Hosta 'Halcyon'

Hosta 'Halcyon' is an herbaceous perennial in the Asparagaceae (asparagus) family and a cultivar in the Tardiana Group of hostas. This plant has flat, blue-green, spear-shaped, or heart-shaped leaves and is grown for its beautiful foliage. It is considered one of the best blue hosta cultivars, retaining the leaf color longer than other varieties. Its blue-violet, bell-shaped flowers appear in mid to late summer and appear as racemes along 26 to 28-inch scapes.

The genus name, Hosta, honors Nicholas Thomas Host, an Austrian botanist in the 19th century. Tardiana Group refers to a group of hybrids that resulted from the crossing of Hosta tardiflora and Hosta sieboldiana var. elegans. The plants in this group typically are under 18 inches tall and have blue-green leaves.

This plant prefers to be grown in partial sun, dappled shade, or full shade and in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. It will reach up to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. They may be propagated by division. It is best to remove any old foliage as the plant dies back in the fall to prevent garden pests and disease.

Hosta 'Halcyon' was given the American Hosta Society Distinguished Merit Hosta Award in 1987 and the Best Blue Leaf Award in 1991.

The plant's beautiful foliage will add color, contrast, and texture to a shaded landscape. Consider using it as a mass planting in a border front or along a walkway or sloped area. Tuck it into the small spaces in a courtyard or around a patio or pool. It takes the dense shade of understory planting in woodland gardens, giving some blue contrast in dark areas of the landscape. Plant in a cutting garden or pollinator garden where you can enjoy visits by hummingbirds and songbirds. The dense foliage will also obscure the dying bulb foliage of other plants.

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom: Summer           Foliage:  Spring, Summer, and Fall

Quick ID Hints:

• erect, mounding, clump of foliage
• flat, spear-shaped to cordate, textured, waxy, blue-green leaves with pointed tips
• 26 to 28-inch pinkish-gray scapes that display a raceme of bell-shaped blue-violet flowers

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Monitor for snails, slugs, and nematodes among the leaves. Deer enjoy the foliage. Leaf spot and crown rot rarely occur. Plants may become infected with the Hosta Virus X, tobacco rattle virus, or tomato ringspot virus. If any of these are detected, the plant should be removed and destroyed. Voles may destroy the plant by eating the roots. Hail storms may damage exposed leaves. The leaf scorch can occur if it receives too much direct sunlight. All hostas are mildly toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Ground covers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. 

More information on Hosta.