Hosta First Blush

The Hosta 'First Blush' is a variety that stands out with the red blush that adorns its spring leaves. Washed in red-violet on a green background, finely edged with the same red, they become green in summer, especially if the temperatures are high. The petioles that bear these leaves retain their dark red color throughout the season. The plant is adorned in late summer with a charming lavender mauve flowering. Perennial, hardy, and colorful, this medium-sized Hosta is perfect for ornamenting a shaded terrace or the darker areas of the garden.

Hostas belong to the Liliaceae family. Originating from Japan and China, there are no less than forty species and countless horticultural varieties appreciated for their foliage. The Hosta is a herbaceous and deciduous perennial plant that is easy to grow in ordinary soil, but preferably in shade. Its vegetation emerges from the ground in spring and disappears in winter.

This hosta 'First Blush', obtained in 2016 by Bob Solberg, is a descendant of the variety 'Beet Salad'. The plant develops basal rosettes of beautiful thick heart-shaped leaves with veining, measuring 15 cm (6in) in length. The plant reaches approximately 30 cm (12in) in height and 50-60 cm (20-24in) in width at maturity. The colour of the leaves varies from spring to summer: in spring, their green lamina "blushes" from tip to base, then green dominates in the middle of summer. The further north you go, the longer the red coloration persists on the foliage. Flowering occurs in late summer, usually in August-September. From the leaf clump emerge reddish-violet stems measuring 45 cm (18in) in height, bearing light violet flowers. Hostas are very long-lived plants that can live for many years in the garden.

The Hosta 'First Blush' is highly decorative in borders or as an edging, but also in pots. Combine it with other varieties, as well as with foamflowers and brunneras at the base of a large tree to create a sumptuous foliage display. It will also blend well with many perennials such as astilbes, Japanese ferns, epimediums, and purple bugbanes, with which it forms lovely duos that require little maintenance. Its foliage will hide the gaps left by spring-flowering bulbs. It will also thrive alongside lungworts or small violets. All hostas grow well in pots and can remain in the same container for several years. Choose a special geranium potting soil to be used during the growing season. As long as the foliage is not too dense, you can water the pot from above. Then place a saucer under the pot where you will pour the water, maintaining a constant level in summer.