The Colour Changing Charm of Hostas
One of the many reasons hostas are such beloved plants is that they never stay quite the same for long. While they might be best known for the bold leaves and dependable shade performance, part of their magic lies in how some change colour through the season.
From the first shoots in spring to their golden autumn finale, hostas are constantly shifting, deepening, fading or even completely transforming their tones. If you've ever wondered why your plants look different from month to month, or which varieties put on the best colour changing displays, read on.
Spring: The Fresh Start
In early spring, when hostas first emerge, their colours are often at their brightest and most vivid. The new foliage is packed with pigment, especially the yellows and blue that make so many varieties stand out.
- Hosta 'June' start with cool, steel blue margins and a bright gold centre that glows in the spring light.
- Hosta 'War Paint', one variety that shows all of its colour in the spring before fading to solid green by summer.
- Hosta 'Halcyon', this variety comes out in the spring almost green before forming its coating of blue 'bloom' which give it the steel blue colouration.
The early season growth is also the most pristine, before any slugs or the sun have had a chance to leave their mark!
Summer: Maturity and Shifts
As the season progresses, most hostas subtly change their colouring in response to light levels, heat and maturity. The waxy coating on blue varieties can melt away, revealing greener leaves beneath. Gold and variegated types tend to deepen in tone, especially in sunnier spots.
- Hosta 'Sum and Substance', its young green leaves are now turning a stunning yellow gold. The colour of the leaves at this stage in the season are depended on the light levels that it is planted in.
- Hosta 'Colour Festival', this variegated variety and many like it are at their best during the summer. Their yellow centres are vibrant at a point the their darker margins have not yet faded.
- Hosta 'Etched Glass', not only are the leaves of this variety absolutely stunning during the summer, this variety also benefits from stunning fragrant flowers. Providing it is getting some morning sun, the flowers show be at their peak at this stage.
Hostas are living barometers for their environment, their colour can tell you a lot about how much sun they're getting. Too much light and blue hostas fade; too little, and gold varieties lose their glow.
Late Season: Fading Gracefully
By late summer into early autumn, hostas take on their final hues before dormancy. Many varieties turn soft shades or yellow as chlorophyll breaks down, and the once vibrant greens mellow into gentle autumn tones.
- Hosta 'First Frost', this variety gets its name from the fact that it looks good all way up until the first frost. A really reliable hosta that keeps your flower beds looking good late into the season.
- Hosta 'Beckoning', a hosta that come out in the spring solid blue before colouring up through the summer. Its not until the end of the season that it shows itself at its best with grey green leaves and a dark margin.
- Hosta 'Cliffords Stingray', a late rising variety that doesn't come into its own until the summer. This delayed start often means that it looks good even when many other varieties fade.
It's a fleeting phase, but one that gives shade borders a warm, nostalgic glow just before everything dies back.
(Hosta 'Beckoning' spring top, summer bottom)
Why Do Hostas Change Colour?
A few factors drive these shifts:
- Sunlight: Exposure to light affects pigment production - gold hostas often need a bit of morning sun to show their best colour, while blue varieties prefer shade to keep their cool tones.
- Temperature: Cool weather enhances blues and creams; heat tends to bring out greens and yellows.
- Age of the leaf: Younger leaves often differ in colour from mature ones on the same plant.
- Genetics: Some hostas are simply bred for transformation - they're meant to evolve through the year! A great example of this is 'War Paint' which starts with such vibrant colours but by summer, is almost completely green. In reverse, 'Beckoning' starts completely blue and it's colours and variegation come through in late spring/early summer.
The Joy of Seasonal Colour
The changing colour of hostas is part of what makes them so endlessly appealing. A single plant can look different every time you walk past it. Bright and crisp in spring, lush and bold in summer, golden and fading in autumn.
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