When it arrives
Your plug tray
Plant 20-cell plugs straight into the garden or a 1-gallon pot; pot 72-cell plugs into 4-inch pots to bulk up first. Keep in shade and evenly moist. Plugs take 3–5 years to show mature leaf size.
Made with this by our community
Real dishes from our Field Notes recipes, shared by the people who made them.
Drop-dead Gorgeous grown by our community
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- Mature height
- 30.0 in
- Mature spread
- 86.0 in
- Bloom
- Early-July – peak Mid-July
- Fragrance
- None
- Deer
- Susceptible
Lavender companion · grow guide
How to grow Drop-dead Gorgeous
Hosta · Hosta
Hostas want shade to part shade and rich, moist, well-drained soil. Blue and big-leaved types (like H. sieboldiana) need the most shade; many gold and fragrant types tolerate more sun.
Check my zone & planting dates
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Part shadeLight
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Moderate waterAverage drainage
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pH 5.5–7.0Soil
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Zones 3a–9bHardiness
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30″ tall86″ wide
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SusceptibleDeer · rabbits susceptible
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Toxic to petsPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Drop-dead Gorgeous will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 3a–9b
Spring through early fall; spring as eyes emerge is easiest.
Your year with Drop-dead Gorgeous
JFMAMJJASOND
When to plant
Spring through early fall; spring as eyes emerge is easiest.
How deep
Set the crown (where roots meet shoots) even with the soil surface. Plants from pots go at the same depth they grew.
Spacing
By mature size: minis 6–12 inches; medium 2 feet; giants 3–5 feet.
Soil
Rich, loamy, high in organic matter · pH 5.5–7.0
Fix-it tip: Mix in compost, composted manure or leaves. In clay, raise the planting area slightly so crowns don't sit wet over winter.
Sun
Part shade (tolerates full shade; morning sun).
Blue-leaved types keep their color best in shade. Gold types brighten with some morning sun; most scorch in hot afternoon sun.
Don’t give up on it
Is it alive? What spring looks like
Pointed shoots (eyes) push up in mid to late spring, later than many perennials, and unfurl over a couple of weeks. Small plants may stay dormant until May; a firm crown is alive.
Spring
Watch for eyes; start slug control early.
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Summer
Water deeply; flowers on tall stalks.
Fall
Cut down collapsed foliage after frost.
Winter
Dormant underground; light mulch after freeze.
Watering
First season: Water deeply 1–2 times a week the first season.
After that: About 1 inch per week; water deeply and less often, especially under thirsty trees.
Feeding
Spread compost in spring; a balanced slow-release fertilizer in early spring if growth is weak.
Pruning & deadheading
Cut flower stalks after bloom if you don't want seed. Remove foliage after it collapses in fall to reduce slug eggs and disease.
Dividing
Divide in spring as eyes emerge, every 4+ years or when crowded. Not required for health.
Winter
Very cold hardy. Needs winter cold for dormancy; mulch after the ground freezes and pull mulch off the crown in spring.
Summer heat
Handles heat in shade with water; leaves scorch in hot sun or drought.
Ragged holes in leaves
Likely cause: Slugs or snails
What to do: Remove debris, trap, or use iron phosphate bait in spring
Leaves eaten off overnight
Likely cause: Deer
What to do: Use fencing or repellents
Mottled, streaked, puckered leaves
Likely cause: Hosta virus X
What to do: Remove and destroy the plant; clean tools
Brown streaks between leaf veins late summer
Likely cause: Foliar nematodes
What to do: Remove affected leaves; water at the soil, not over leaves
Bleached or scorched leaves
Likely cause: Too much sun
What to do: Move to more shade
Too wet or too dry?
Brown, crispy leaf edges and limp leaves mean too dry or too sunny; yellow leaves with rotting stems at the crown mean waterlogged soil.
Watch for
- Slugs and snails
- Deer
- Hosta virus X (mottled, puckered leaves)
- Crown rot and foliar nematodes
- Voles
Pets & wildlife
ASPCA: toxic to dogs, cats and horses (saponins); can cause vomiting, diarrhea and depression.
Deer: susceptible · Rabbits: susceptible
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
In a container
Good in pots · 2 gallon+
Great in pots; match pot to mature size. Move pots to a sheltered, unheated spot over winter.
Indoors
Outdoor plant
Needs a cold winter dormancy to return; does not grow as a houseplant.
Winter chill
Needs a cold winter
Hostas need a winter cold dormancy to regrow well in spring.
Growing it on
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 2 gallon pot
Time to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Give it its own spot
Grow hostas in a shady, moist bed away from lavender. They need opposite conditions: shade and rich, damp soil versus lavender's dry, sunny bed.
Same bedNearbyIts own area
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