Hosta Liberty

(Plant Patent 12,531 expired) Anyone who saw Hosta 'Liberty' at the 2000 American Hosta Society Convention left with their eyes popping and tongues hanging out. We are glad to provide what we think is one of the finest hostas ever introduced and the winner of the Hosta of the Year Award for 2012. This (4-2-2) tetraploid sport of Hosta 'Sagae' makes a stunning 2' wide, semi-upright clump. The extraordinarily thick, dark green leaves of Hosta 'Liberty' are edged with an astonishingly wide, golden yellow border, changing to cream in summer. In early summer, the slow-growing clumps of Hosta 'Liberty' are topped with spikes of hummingbird-friendly lavender flowers. We are pleased to offer large 2-year-old plants. Maintenance: Hosta 'Liberty' is essentially a maintenance free perennial. Once the plant has gone dormant in fall, you may wish to remove the old foliage, which helps tidy the garden. Old flower stalks may be removed after flowering, which we feel helps with clump appearance. Growing Conditions: Hostas always grow better in rich, moist soil. They thrive best in clay or amended clay soils, but amended sandy loam can be successful if additional compost or other organic nutrients are added. Dry soils are not problematic for a short time, but hostas will decline if the soil is kept dry over an extended period. Light shade to a couple of hours of early morning sun are best. Dark shade will not result in a satisfactory plant. Garden Value: Hostas like 'Liberty' are great to brighten a woodland garden. Their bold texture makes a nice garden foil to more airy-textured perennials. Natural Impacts: Hosta flowers are always a great source of nectar for honeybees.