Hosta 'Empress Wu' PP20774 CPBR4240

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Hosta 'Empress Wu' PP20774 CPBR4240

SHADOWLAND® Collection

Common Name: Hosta

2023 Proven Winners National Hosta of the Year®

Huge dark green, deeply veined leaves of good substance can measure more than 1½' wide and long. Large leaves are formed as a young plant, though entire clump takes about 5 years growing in the ground to achieve mature size.
Strongly upright habit, forming a very tall and wide clump
Pale reddish violet flowers appear just above the foliage in early to midsummer
An outstanding focal point and topic of conversation in your shade garden!

Hostas are exceedingly popular perennials in today's gardens due to their versatility in the landscape. Their subtle colors, tall flower scapes, and broad, coarse leaves fill a niche in garden designs that few other plants can achieve. Their large leaves provide excellent coverage for dying bulb foliage. Hostas also grow well in city environments where the air may be polluted by car exhaust, etc.

Premium Hostas

This premium hosta variety is part of a group of the finest hostas available today. To be considered a premium hosta, plants must perform superbly in many zones. They must also exhibit exemplary garden presence and performance, have a long season of appeal in the landscape, have leaves of good substance, and demonstrate a greater resistance to common garden pests.

The SHADOWLAND® trademark is owned by Walters Gardens, Inc.

Height:

3.0-4.0 Feet

Spread:

5.0-6.0 Feet

Scape Height:

4.0 Feet

Hardiness Zones:

3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Flower Color:

Purple shades

Foliage Color:

Green shades

Sunlight:

Part Shade (4-6 hrs. Direct Sun) Full Shade (< 4 hrs. Direct Sun)

Water Requirements:

Average Water Needs Consistent Water Needs

Soil Quality:

Average Soil Quality Fertile Soil Quality

Soil Chemistry:

Acidic Soil (pH < 7.0) Neutral Soil (pH = 7.0)

Bloomtime:

Early Summer Midsummer

Attracts Wings:

Attracts Hummingbirds

Growth Rate:

Rapid

Garden Style:

Asian Cottage Eclectic Formal Woodland Shade

Other Features:

Border Plant Cut Foliage Easy To Grow Attractive Foliage Specimen Focal Point

Origin:

Not Native to North America

Hostas grow best in moist, well-drained, highly organic soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Sandy loam is better than clay because it provides more aeration for the roots. High-filtered or dappled sunlight is necessary for clean, healthy growth. Morning sun is tolerable and will help to intensify the leaf colors, but hot afternoon sun is usually deadly to hostas. They are most at home in shady, woodland settings and often work well as specimen or edging plants.

Especially in northern zones, hostas should be mulched with a layer of finely shredded organic material to prevent heaving in the winter. Mulch is beneficial because it retains moisture around the plant's roots, but it is also the ideal place for slugs to hide. Watch for holes in the center of the leaves. If they are present, so are slugs. Applying a slug bait in early spring when new shoots are beginning to emerge will help to reduce the slug population. After a few years when plants are firmly established, the mulch can be removed completely, which should eliminate the slug problem altogether. Also be sure to clean all hosta foliage out of the garden in early winter after the plants have gone dormant. By doing so, you will be ridding the area of the eggs of slugs and other leaf-eating insects.

Awards

Proven Winners National Hosta of the Year -- 2023

Planting a Hosta Garden! // Garden Answer

Characteristics