Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Fortunei Aureomarginata Hosta: A Dependable Gold-Edged Classic
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Fortunei Aureomarginata hosta is one of the dependable, long-grown classics. Its broad, oval, lightly puckered leaves are a deep spinach green with a hint of blue, edged in a band of deep golden yellow that holds its color all season. In mid to late summer, tall stems about 40 inches high carry pale lavender bell flowers well above the mound.
It holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit and grows into a vigorous clump 18 to 24 inches tall and about 40 inches wide. As with every hosta, keep it out of the lavender field and give it a moist, shaded bed.
At a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta fortunei 'Aureomarginata' |
| Foliage | Spinach green with a blue tint, deep golden yellow margins |
| Flowers | Pale lavender bells on stems about 40 inches |
| Bloom | Starts mid-July, peaks early August |
| Size | 18 to 24 inches tall, about 40 inches wide |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Part shade to full shade |
| Deer | Susceptible |
A classic for the shady side
Every garden with sunny lavender beds has a shady counterpart somewhere, and this hosta is a reliable way to fill it. The gold margins keep their color through the season instead of fading, so the plant looks finished from spring until frost. Use it as the backbone of a shade border, in mass plantings under trees or as a container accent on a covered porch.
Pair it with coral bells, ferns and bleeding hearts in a moist, shaded bed. Its pale lavender flowers in late summer arrive just as the lavender harvest wraps up, a nice echo across the yard. Plan shade and sun beds together in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting a bare root hosta
This hosta is offered as a bare root plant. Soak the roots for a short while, then set the crown at soil level in a wide hole with compost-rich soil. Spread the roots, backfill, firm gently and water thoroughly. Give it room, since a mature clump reaches about 40 inches across. See the product page for current availability.
Care through the year
- Light: shade from afternoon sun; hot, dry sites can scorch leaves.
- Soil: evenly moist and humus-rich, never waterlogged in winter.
- Water: during dry spells, especially in the first year.
- Slugs and deer: the main problems. Keep mulch thin near the crown and protect plants where deer browse.
- Fall: remove collapsed foliage after frost to reduce slug eggs and disease.
- Dividing: a vigorous grower; divide crowded clumps in spring as shoots appear.
Frequently asked questions
Do the gold edges fade in summer?
No. The deep golden margins hold their color all season.
Can it grow beside lavender?
Not in the same bed. It needs shade and moisture that lavender would not tolerate. Plant it in a shaded area of the same property.
Do pollinators visit the flowers?
Yes. The pale lavender bells are good for bees and other pollinators in mid to late summer.
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