Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Sum and Substance Hosta: A Giant Gold Hosta for the Other Bed
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Sum and Substance hosta is one of the largest hostas you can grow. Its broad, thick, glossy leaves reach up to 16 inches long and build a mound about 3 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide. In mid to late summer, scapes about 4 feet tall carry pale lavender bells above the leaves.
It is a fast-growing classic with the RHS Award of Garden Merit, and it was named Hosta of the Year for 2004. Plan its spot before you plant, because it plans to take up most of it.
Sum and Substance at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hosta 'Sum and Substance' |
| Foliage | Chartreuse to gold, light green in deep shade; thick and glossy |
| Flowers | Pale lavender bells on scapes about 4 feet tall |
| Size | About 36 inches tall, 5 to 6 feet wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-July, peaks early August |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | A quarter to three-quarters of a day of sun |
| Deer | Susceptible |
Why it lives in a separate bed
This is one of the most sun-tolerant hostas, so it is tempting to tuck it near the lavender. Resist. Even in sun it wants richer, moister soil than lavender can stand, and the water it needs in hot weather would rot a lavender crown in a season.
Instead, think of it as the anchor of the shadier, moister part of your yard plan. The gold leaves are bright enough to be seen from across the lawn, so a sunny lavender bed on one side and a big Sum and Substance on the other balance the view. Its pale lavender flowers even tie the two areas together in color. Sketch both beds in the Companion Plant Planner.
Color and light
Leaf color shifts with light. In deeper shade the leaves stay light green. With a few hours of sun they deepen to chartreuse or gold. In full sun, keep the soil moist to prevent scorch. Morning sun with afternoon shade is the easy middle ground.
Care through the year
- Soil: rich and evenly moist. Water deeply in hot weather.
- Space: give it plenty of room to reach 5 to 6 feet across.
- Slugs: the thick leaves resist slug damage better than most hostas.
- After bloom: remove spent scapes.
- Watch for: mottled, streaked leaves can signal Hosta Virus X; discard infected plants. Petiole or crown rot can appear in hot, wet weather.
- Winter: fully hardy in Michigan. Cut the leaves down after a hard frost and avoid heavy, wet mulch over the crown.
Plug tray sizes
Sum and Substance is offered in 72-cell and 20-cell plug trays. See each product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe around pets?
Hosta foliage is listed as toxic to dogs and cats, so plant it where pets will not chew on it.
Do deer eat it?
Yes, hostas are deer susceptible. Plant close to the house or protect it in deer country.
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