Hosta 'First Frost'

Introduced in 2002 by Patricia Scolnik and B. Solberg, this handsome sport of H. 'Halcyon' begins spring with deep blue leaves edged in creamy yellow. The border is irregular and just about half an inch wide at its best, but it persists, turning pure white by midsummer. The leaves keep their blue tones, however, and growth continues right into autumn and through very chilly weather. Until this plant sees Jack Frost rime the garden in glittering silver, it will not go dormant!

Just 16 inches high, 'First Frost' is topped by pale lavender blooms in midsummer, nodding on 24-inch scapes. They do attract butterflies, which is perhaps the only reason to let them remain on the plant; they make nice filler for indoor arrangements if you cannot bear, as we cannot, to cover up the foliage even a little! The plant spreads 3 feet wide, a fine size for groundcover, edging, or specimen use.

In the few years since its introduction, 'First Frost' has earned accolades from across the country, and finally received entry into the Designer Hosta™ Collection for its adaptability to differing climates and conditiions. Like all Hosta, it is very long-lived and low maintenance, thriving despite heat, humidity, cold, poor soil, and even periods of drought. It does not have a fussy cell in its structure, and its rich blue tones add cooling color to any shade border, woodland planting, or container. It has been trialed in full shade (8 hours or more per day) and found to grow well; it also performs beautifully in 4 hours or fewer of shade, and everything in between. Adaptable, indeed!

We urge you to find a place for this exceptional Hosta in your garden. Its pedigree is impeccable, its performance proven, and its beauty obvious. Such plants are rare, and should be acquired at once when they are finally found. Zones 3-8.