Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Miss America Hosta: Five-Foot Flower Stems Over a Bright Mound
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Miss America hosta is a large hosta that is admired for its flowers as much as its leaves. The heart-shaped leaves have bright white centers and medium green edges, with light green streaks feathering between, and they form a wide mound about 19 inches tall and around 55 inches across. Then, in early to midsummer, thick upright scapes shoot up 55 to 61 inches tall, which means the flowers can look you in the eye.
It is a shade plant, so plan it for the cool side of the garden rather than the sunny lavender bed.
Miss America at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta 'Miss America' |
| Foliage | White centers, medium green margins, light green streaks |
| Flowers | Near-white tubular flowers with a lavender blush at the petal centers |
| Size | Mound about 19 inches tall, about 55 inches wide; scapes 55 to 61 inches |
| Bloom | Early to midsummer |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Part to full shade |
Designing around those flower stems
Most hostas are planted at the front of a bed. Miss America asks for a different spot. Because the scapes rise so high above the low mound, it works best in the middle of a shade border, where shorter plants in front can frame the bright leaves and the flowers stand up like a row of candles behind them. Beside a shaded patio or bench is another good choice, since you will see the blooms at sitting height.
For a garden built around lavender, Miss America makes the shady side feel just as deliberate as the sunny one. The lavender blush in its flowers is a quiet echo of the purple in the open beds. Plan the spacing, which is generous, in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Space: allow at least 4 to 5 feet across. It grows quickly.
- Soil: rich, humus-heavy, evenly moist and well drained.
- Water: deep watering during dry spells, especially the first summer.
- Wind: very tall scapes are easier to enjoy in a sheltered spot.
- After bloom: cut spent scapes and divide crowded clumps in early spring as shoots emerge.
Like most hostas it is a deer favorite, and slugs appreciate it too. Keep mulch thin near the crown.
Formats
Miss America is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray, a good fit for growers and anyone filling a large shade garden. Plugs take a few seasons to reach full size. See the product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Are the flower stems really five feet tall?
On a mature plant, the scapes reach about 55 to 61 inches, which is unusually tall for a hosta and well above the 19-inch mound.
Can I plant it near my lavender?
Near, but not with. It needs shade and moisture that would rot lavender, so give it a shaded bed elsewhere on the property.
Should I cut the flowers for a vase?
You can. Tall hosta scapes make an unusual cut stem, and cutting them after bloom tidies the plant anyway.
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