Empress Wu Hosta is a large shade-loving herbaceous perennial primarily grown for its huge 2ft foliage. The deeply veined and corrugated green leaves lose their waxy coating and blue tint as they mature. Small pale reddish-violet bell-like flowers raise up in terminals from the rootstalk above the mound in mid summer attracting butterflies and pollinators. Best color in partial sun and moist well-drained soils.
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Type:
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Perennial
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Origins:
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China, Japan, and Korea
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Height:
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4' - 5'
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Spread:
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6' - 8’
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Spacing:
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7’
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USDA Hardiness Zone:
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3 - 9
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Culture:
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Part Sun, Full Shade
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Bloom Color:
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Purple
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Season of Interest:
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Summer
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MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low maintenance. Snails and slugs can cause severe problems if left unchecked. Foliar nematodes can cause interveinal browning. Plants infected with Hosta Virus X (HVX), tobacco rattle virus or tomato ring spot virus should be immediately removed from garden areas and destroyed. Otherwise, little to no problems.
LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Naturalized Areas, Rock Gardens, and Containers.
COMPANION PLANTS: Columbine, Lungwort, Bleeding Heart
IMAGE: Photos by Proven Winners, Shadowland® 'Empress Wu'
*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.
