Blue Hostas: Compare Varieties and Find Growers
Choose a blue hosta by the room you have, then compare its leaf shape and growing needs. A small blue mound and a large blue specimen create very different effects in a border.
Blue Lightning
Blue Streaked With Green And Yellow • Medium • Walters Gardens, Inc. • 2005
Blue Mouse Ears
Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'. Photograph identified by its source as this named cultivar.
Photo: Andy Mabbett · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized by Wikimedia
Blue • Mini • E./Deckert • 2000
Blue Mouse Ears is a compact choice, Halcyon fills a medium space, and Blue Angel needs much more room. The blue look comes from a surface coating on the leaves. It can fade as the season and growing conditions change.
Compare three blue hostas
These are published mature foliage height and spread estimates from the linked plant profiles. Flower stalks may be taller. A young plant or a newly divided crown will be smaller, and garden conditions can change its final size.
| Variety | Mature height | Mature spread | What to compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mouse Ears | 8 in | 12 in | Small, rounded, thick blue-green leaves |
| Halcyon | 18 in | 36 in | Pointed blue-green leaves and a medium mound |
| Blue Angel | 36 in | 48 in | Large blue-green leaves and a broad specimen mound |
Why a blue hosta may look greener
Blue foliage has a waxy surface bloom over green leaf tissue. Heat, exposure and weather can reduce the blue appearance. A blue hosta is not a promise of the same color every week of the year.
Use naturally colored plant photos to compare varieties. A vivid blue or teal image on its own is weak evidence of what a plant will look like in your garden.
Choose the right scale
Measure the planting space across, rather than judging only by the height of a pot at the nursery. Choose a compact cultivar for an edge or a small container, and leave wider ground for a large mound.
Before buying, confirm the cultivar name, the size of the plant being supplied and the seller’s current availability. A catalogue profile describes a variety; it does not prove that a plant is in stock.
Frequently asked questions
Are blue hostas really blue?
They have a blue-gray surface bloom over green leaf tissue. The exact shade varies with the cultivar, season, light and weather.
Which blue hosta suits a small space?
Blue Mouse Ears is a useful starting point. Walters Gardens lists mature foliage at about 8 inches high and 12 inches across. Compare that footprint with your available space.
Can I buy every blue hosta shown here?
No. Check for a current seller listing on the individual plant page. A reference entry is not a stock or price promise.
Explore next
Sources and further reading
- Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' (Walters Gardens)
- Hosta 'Halcyon' (Walters Gardens)
- Hosta 'Blue Angel' (Walters Gardens)
- Hosta plant profile (Chicago Botanic Garden)
Sources checked . Growing conditions and nursery descriptions can differ.