Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Mini Skirt Hosta: Ruffled Two-Tone Leaves in Five Inches of Shade
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Mini Skirt hosta earns its name with very wavy, thick leaves that ripple outward in a low rosette, like a little skirt mid-twirl. In spring the blue-green centers are trimmed in creamy yellow; by summer the centers turn greener and the edges lighten to creamy white. The whole plant is about 5 inches tall, so short it barely clears a garden glove.
It is a shade plant, which means it is a companion for the shady side of a lavender garden, not for the lavender bed itself.
Mini Skirt at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta 'Mini Skirt' |
| Foliage | Thick, lance-shaped, strongly wavy; blue-green with creamy yellow to white edges |
| Flowers | Pale lavender with deeper purple stripes, on scapes about 7 inches tall |
| Size | About 5 inches tall, 13 inches wide |
| Bloom | Early to midsummer |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Part to full shade |
Where it fits
Mini Skirt is a plant for looking down at. Put it right at the front of a shaded bed, along the edge of a stone path or in a trough on a shady step, anywhere you will see the ruffles up close. Larger hostas and ferns will hide it, so give it the front row.
In a property built around a sunny lavender planting, Mini Skirt suits the cool pockets: the north side of the house, the bed under a tree, the shaded corner by the garage. Its blue-green tone and pale lavender flowers echo the colors of the lavender bed, even though the two never share soil. Map both sides in the Companion Plant Planner.
Care for a true miniature
- Drainage: the most important thing for small hostas. Wet winter roots are a bigger risk than cold.
- Soil: rich and evenly moist, but never soggy. In troughs, add grit to the mix.
- Water: check containers every few days in summer; small pots dry quickly.
- Space: keep aggressive groundcovers and self-sowers away so they do not smother it.
- After bloom: trim off spent scapes to keep the rosette neat.
Flowers in proportion
Many miniature hostas send up tall flower stems that look a little out of scale. Mini Skirt does not. Its scapes are only about 7 inches tall, and the tightly packed pale lavender bells with darker purple stripes sit just above the ruffled leaves, so the plant looks finished in bloom rather than leggy.
Formats
Mini Skirt is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray, a good fit for growers and anyone planting troughs, fairy gardens or long shady edges. See the product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the edges changing color?
That is normal. The creamy yellow spring margins lighten to creamy white by summer as the centers turn greener.
Can it go in a sunny lavender bed?
No. Full sun and dry soil would scorch it. Keep it in part to full shade.
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