Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Montana Aureomarginata Hosta: Huge Gold-Rimmed Leaves for Shade
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Montana Aureomarginata hosta is a classic large hosta grown for huge, heavy leaves, up to about 12 inches long and 8 inches wide. The dark green blades carry wide, irregular gold margins that hold their color all season, and the deep, evenly spaced veins give each leaf a ribbed, tailored look.
It is one of the first hostas up in spring and forms a broad mound about 27 inches tall and 4 feet wide. Like every hosta, it needs shade and moisture, so it belongs on the shady side of a property rather than near the lavender.
Montana Aureomarginata at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta montana 'Aureomarginata' |
| Foliage | Dark green with wide, irregular gold margins; leaves about 12 by 8 inches |
| Flowers | Pale lavender trumpets in tight clusters on 40-inch scapes |
| Size | About 27 inches tall, 4 feet wide |
| Bloom | Midsummer |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Part to full shade |
A specimen for the back of the shade border
Big-leaved hostas give shade gardens the structure that shrubs give sunny ones. Montana Aureomarginata is substantial enough to anchor a woodland bed on its own, and the gold edges carry light into dark corners. Put it at the back of a shaded border or as a single specimen under a large tree, with ferns, astilbe and smaller hostas in front.
In a garden plan built around lavender, it is the counterweight on the shady side: where the lavender beds are low, silver and fine, this hosta is broad, glossy and bold. Lay out both areas in the Companion Plant Planner.
Early riser, so mind the frost
Because it emerges early, a hard late frost can nip the new shoots and leave ragged leaves for the season. Watch the forecast in spring and cover emerging clumps with a sheet or bucket on frosty nights. The Frost Date Estimator gives you a sense of when the risk usually ends where you live.
Planting and care
- Space: give it a full 4 feet. Crowding hides the leaf shape that makes it special.
- Soil: rich, humus-heavy, evenly moist and well drained.
- Water: deep watering during dry spells, especially the first summer.
- Light: shade protects the gold margins from scorch.
- After bloom: cut spent scapes. Divide crowded clumps in early spring as shoots emerge.
Plug tray or bare root
Montana Aureomarginata is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray for growers and large plantings, and as a bare root plant for setting directly into the garden. Plant a bare root hosta with the crown at soil level and water it in well. See each product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
How long until the leaves reach full size?
Large hostas take several seasons to mature. Leaves get bigger and the gold edges wider as the clump settles in.
Do deer eat it?
Deer like most hostas, including this one. Fencing or repellents help in open areas.
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