Plant Name: Hosta – Guacamole
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Technical name: Hosta ‘Guacamole’
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Plant Family / Type: Liliaceae / Herbaceous perennial
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Preferred location: Full Shade / Partial Shade
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Mature height: 24”
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Mature Width: 3’ – 4’
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Growth Rate / Habit: Fast / Clumps
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Flower / Foliage:
· 3-foot-tall flower stalks bearing fragrant, lily-like White/Pale Lavender blooms in late Summer
· Huge, glossy, apple Green leaves surrounded by streaked, Dark-Green margins just like an avocado
· Leaf centers become Brighter Gold in Summer when exposed to more sunlight (morning sun) while the margins remain dark green
· Display good sun tolerance
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Companion Plants:
· Astilbe, Pulmonaria, Turtlehead
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Preferred soil:
· Tolerate a wide range of well-drained soils
· Prefer average, even moisture
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Pruning and Maintenance:
· Time – mid Spring
· Completely dormant in the Fall, and the dying foliage can be removed any time before mid-Spring
· Trim damaged/diseased leaves and faded flower stalks. The spent flowers can be deadheaded the stems can be cut off as far down into the foliage as you can reach – immediately after they have finished blooming
· You can allow the seed to mature and self-sow. You ’ll get new baby plants but understand they will not come true from seed and rarely look like the hybrid mother plant
· Mulch – 1-2 inches of mulch is adequate and the mulch should be several inches away from the crown and shoots. Mulching up to the stems is not good for the Hostas
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Propagation:
· Divide in Spring or Fall
· Can be done in two ways, using clean, sharp tools:
1. Cut into the plant to slice away a section of a clump, being sure to include roots – caused more stress
2. Less Stress
o Dig around the plant with a spade to a depth of 8-10 inches
o Dig under the plant with your spade or garden fork and lift the plant out
o Wash the soil from the plants to see where the best places to divide the plant are o Cut through the crown with a sharp knife leaving 3 or more shoots per division. Do not cut any roots o Prepare the new planting area by adding some compost. If you are dividing in the Spring, work a little balanced fertilizer into the soil, if you are dividing in the Fall, wait until early next Spring to fertilize o Make the hole slightly larger than the division and place the division in the new hole, being careful not to damage the roots. Plant the divisions at the same depth as they were growing. Carefully backfill and firm up the soil around the divisions o Water fall divisions well and mulch to conserve moisture. Spring divisions should be kept moist, but hold off on mulching until the soil warms up |
Fertilize
· Feed in very early Spring with a top dressing of composted manure and bone meal. Liquid feed at least twice during the growing season
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