Use & Care NotesCompanion Plants
Lone Star Hosta: Gold-Rimmed Leaves for Bright Shade
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Lone Star hosta is a large, easygoing hosta with broad, heart-shaped medium green leaves, each traced in an even, vivid gold margin. Up close the leaves have light parallel veins and a slight wave; from across the yard, the gold edges outline every leaf like a drawing. Near-white trumpet flowers stand well above the foliage on tall scapes in midsummer.
The thing to know before you plant it is width. Lone Star grows only about two feet tall but spreads four to four and a half feet across.
Lone Star at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta 'Lone Star' |
| Foliage | Medium green with a vivid, even gold margin |
| Flowers | Near-white trumpets on tall scapes |
| Size | 26 to 28 inches tall, 50 to 56 inches wide |
| Bloom | Mid-July into early August |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Bright, filtered shade to part shade |
| Deer | Susceptible |
Where it fits in a lavender garden plan
Lavender and hostas are at opposite ends of the garden. Lavender wants six or more hours of hot sun and soil that dries quickly; Lone Star wants shade and moisture. So instead of pairing them in one bed, think about the whole yard. The sunny front can be your lavender planting, and the spot under a high-branched tree or along the north side of the house can be a shade bed anchored by Lone Star, with ferns and astilbe filling in around it.
Its gold edges give the shade bed the same sense of light that silver lavender foliage gives the sun bed. Lay out both areas in the Companion Plant Planner.
Getting the best gold
- Light: bright, filtered shade brings out the strongest gold. Hot afternoon sun can bleach or scorch the margins.
- Soil: rich, humus heavy, evenly moist but well drained.
- Water: deeply during dry spells, especially the first summer.
- Space: plant it at least four feet from its neighbors, or use it as a single specimen.
- Containers: one plant makes a bold statement in a big pot on a shaded patio. Water pots more often.
Late-season flowers and fall cleanup
Lone Star blooms later than many hostas, from mid-July into early August, so its pale trumpets light up the shade bed just as the first lavender bloom winds down on the sunny side. Cut the scapes after flowering. After a hard frost, cut the leaves down and avoid heavy, wet mulch over the crown. Divide crowded clumps in early spring as shoots emerge.
Watch for slugs in wet spells, petiole or crown rot in hot, wet weather, and mottled, streaked leaves that could mean Hosta Virus X; discard any infected plant.
Choosing a tray
Lone Star comes as a 72-cell plug tray for growers and large shade plantings, and as a 20-cell plug tray for a smaller project. Because each plant gets so wide, a 20-cell tray covers a surprising amount of ground. See each product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lone Star hard to grow?
No. It is known as an easy hosta. Give it shade, moisture and room, and it mostly takes care of itself.
Will deer eat it?
Deer like hostas. In deer country, plan on fencing or a regular repellent routine.
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