Queen Josephine Hosta

The 'Queen Josephine' Hosta is a medium-sized, low-maintenance perennial known for its exceptionally glossy, dark green, heart-shaped leaves with a wide, initially yellow margin that matures to a creamy white.

Key Characteristics

• Foliage: The standout feature is its shiny, dark green leaves with distinctive yellow to cream-colored edges. The leaves are described as thick and robust. This hosta is rated by experts as one of the best glossy-leaved varieties.
• Flowers: In mid-summer (July-August), it produces delicate spikes of pale lavender, bell-shaped flowers that rise above the foliage on tall stems, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.
• Size: This variety is a medium hosta, typically reaching a height of 12-16 inches and a spread of 20-34 inches at maturity.
• Growth Habit: It forms a dense, mounded, and clumping perennial, making it an excellent choice for ground cover or containers in shaded gardens.
• Hardiness Zone: It is a hardy plant, suitable for USDA zones 3 to 9. 
  

Growing Conditions & Care

• Light Requirements: It thrives in partial to full shade, and many varieties will retain their best color in cool, light shade, although it can handle a good amount of sun in some regions.
• Soil: It prefers fertile, moist, and well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. It is also relatively drought tolerant once established.
• Maintenance: This is a low-maintenance plant that is best cleaned up in early spring before new growth begins.
• Pests: Slugs and snails are known to damage hosta foliage, so gardeners should be aware of this potential issue.
• Wildlife: While the plant attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, it is not considered fully deer-resistant, as deer find hosta delicious.