Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Night before Christmas Hosta: White Centers to Brighten Dark Corners
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Night before Christmas hosta has big, pointed, dark green leaves with bright creamy white centers that turn pure white by midsummer. It has thicker leaves and wider green margins than its parent, White Christmas, which makes it sturdier and easier to grow, and it forms a broad mound about 18 inches tall and 3 feet wide.
Like all hostas, it needs shade and moisture. It is not a lavender bedmate; it is the plant for the dark corner on the other side of the house.
Night before Christmas at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta 'Night before Christmas' |
| Foliage | Creamy white centers turning pure white, wide dark green margins |
| Flowers | Pale lavender tubular flowers on scapes about 34 inches tall |
| Size | About 18 inches tall, 36 inches wide |
| Bloom | Mid to late summer |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Part to full shade |
Light for the darkest spots
White-centered hostas are the closest thing a shade garden has to a lamp. Night before Christmas is especially useful because its white gets brighter as the season goes on, just when summer shade is at its deepest. Use one as a specimen at the end of a dark path, or mass several under trees where nothing else seems to show up.
A garden plan built around a sunny lavender bed usually has these leftover shady spots. Filling them with a bright hosta makes the whole property feel planted, not just the sunny half. Its late flowers also arrive after lavender's main bloom, keeping some color going. Map both areas in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting a bare root hosta
- Soak the roots for an hour or so before planting.
- Dig a hole wider than the root spread and work in compost.
- Set the crown at soil level, spreading the roots outward.
- Backfill, firm gently and water thoroughly.
- Keep the soil evenly moist until leaves unfurl and through the first summer.
Care through the seasons
- Soil: rich, humus-heavy, evenly moist and well drained.
- Light: shade protects the white centers from scorch, which can happen quickly in sun.
- Water: deep watering during dry spells.
- After bloom: cut spent scapes; divide crowded clumps in early spring as shoots emerge.
- Deer: deer like hostas, so protect plants in open areas.
Frequently asked questions
How is it different from White Christmas?
Night before Christmas has thicker leaves and wider green margins, which makes it sturdier and more vigorous in the garden.
Why are the white centers browning?
Usually too much sun or too little water. White leaf tissue is more delicate, so keep it in shade and water in dry spells.
Does it need a lot of space?
Plan for about 3 feet across when mature.
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