Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Patriot Hosta: Crisp White Edges for the Shade Bed
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Patriot hosta has been a garden favorite since the early 1990s. Its oval, pointed leaves are dark green with wide, crisp, irregularly streaked margins that open creamy yellow in spring and turn bright white as the season goes on. It holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit and was Hosta of the Year in 1997.
The leaves are thicker than average, and it takes more sun than many white-edged hostas, which makes it one of the more forgiving choices in its class.
Patriot at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta 'Patriot' |
| Foliage | Dark green with wide white margins, creamy yellow in spring |
| Size | About 22 inches tall, 30 inches wide |
| Flowers | Lavender trumpets on 30 inch scapes |
| Bloom | Early to mid-July |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full shade to morning sun; more sun with steady moisture |
| Recognition | RHS Award of Garden Merit; Hosta of the Year 1997 |
Sun tolerant, but still not a lavender plant
It is tempting to read more sun tolerance and think Patriot can join the lavender. It cannot, at least not happily. In sun it needs steady moisture and soil rich in organic matter to avoid leaf scorch, and that is precisely the kind of ground that rots lavender. The answer is to give it a bed of its own, perhaps where a sunny lavender garden meets the shade of a tree, with daylilies, astilbe or ferns as neighbors.
What connects them is the lavender-colored flowers Patriot sends up in July, visited by hummingbirds, and the crisp white edges that brighten a shady corner the way silver lavender foliage brightens a sunny one. Plan both zones in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Soil: evenly moist and rich in organic matter, but well drained.
- Light: full shade to morning sun; full sun only in cooler spots with reliable water.
- Water: deeply in hot, dry weather.
- After bloom: remove spent scapes.
- Dividing: split in early spring if the clump gets crowded.
- Pests: slugs chew holes in leaves; watch for Hosta Virus X and discard mottled plants.
Fall cleanup
Patriot is fully hardy in Michigan. After a hard frost, cut the foliage down to remove slug eggs and debris, and make sure the crown is not sitting wet through winter. Hosta foliage is listed as toxic to dogs and cats.
Using it in the landscape
Mass it under trees for a bright, clean groundcover, use one as a specimen in a shade bed or grow it in a large container on a shaded patio. The 72-cell plug tray is sized for mass plantings and borders; see the product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my Patriot edges yellow?
That is normal in spring. The margins open creamy yellow and turn bright white as the season goes on.
Do deer eat Patriot?
Yes. Like most hostas it is a deer favorite, so protect it where deer roam.
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