Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Island Breeze Hosta: Yellow Leaves and Red Stems for Shade
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Island Breeze hosta looks like it took a wrong turn on the way to the tropics. Its glossy leaves open with bright yellow centers and wide, dark green borders, and the leaf stems are speckled red, with the color flushing up into the base of each leaf. It stays compact, about 1 foot tall and 1½ feet wide, and it was named Hosta of the Year for 2022.
Like every hosta, it is a shade plant, so it stays out of the lavender bed. Its spot is the front of a shady border, where those red stems are easy to see.
Island Breeze at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta 'Island Breeze' |
| Foliage | Yellow to chartreuse center, wide dark green margin, red-speckled stems |
| Flowers | Dark lavender trumpets on reddish stems about 28 inches tall |
| Size | About 12 inches tall, 18 inches wide |
| Bloom | Early to mid-July |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3-9 |
| Light | Part shade to full shade |
| Deer | Susceptible |
Bringing the lavender theme into the shade
Island Breeze earns a spot in a lavender garden plan with its flowers: dark lavender trumpets on reddish stems in July, right as lavender season peaks out in the sun. Plant it under trees, along a north-facing foundation or by a shaded entry, and pair it with ferns and astilbe for contrast. Its small size also makes it a good choice for mass planting along the front edge of a shade bed.
Plan the sunny lavender beds and the shady borders side by side in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Light and color: in deeper shade the centers turn chartreuse by summer; with a little more light they fade to soft yellow. Hot afternoon sun scorches them.
- Soil: rich, humus-heavy and evenly moist, but well drained.
- Water: deeply during dry spells, especially the first summer.
- Slugs: thick leaves resist slug damage better than most hostas.
- After bloom: cut spent flower stems.
- Fall: cut foliage down after a hard frost to clear slug eggs and debris.
A container natural
Compact hostas are easy in pots, and Island Breeze is one of the best for it. A container lifts the red stems closer to eye level and lets you keep the soil evenly moist on a shaded porch or patio. Group it with other small shade plants for a mixed pot.
The 72-cell plug tray
Island Breeze is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, a good fit for edging, mass planting or potting up your own stock. See the product page for current availability, or visit the Wholesale Hub.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my yellow centers turning green?
That is normal in deeper shade, where the centers shift to chartreuse by summer.
Is it safe around pets?
Hosta foliage is listed as toxic to dogs and cats. Plant it where pets will not chew it.
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