Hosta Varieties of Mouse-Ear Plant Cultivars
Miniature Plantain Lilies for Small Space Design Landscaping
Jul 14, 2009
Miniature hostas fit well in small landscape spaces such as containers, along walkways or in rock gardens. Mouse-ear hostas are a collection of diminutive plantain lilies that have thickly textured and rounded heart shaped leaves.
According to the American Hosta Society, mature miniature hostas are between 4” – 6” tall and dwarf hostas are less than 4” tall. Mouse-ear hostas are hardy in zones 3 – 9 and prefer part to full shade.
Miniature Blue Hostas
Hosta ‘Country Mouse’ is a true miniature and the smallest mouse-ear hosta listed here, growing to 4” tall and 9” wide. H. ‘Country Mouse’ is a blue hosta edged in white. This plant is a sport of Hosta ‘Bill Dress’s Blue;’ a miniature that leafs out blue but by the middle of summer turns bluish green. Its heart shaped leaves are pointed and have a corrugated texture.
Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ has grayish blue-green leaves and grow to 6” – 8” tall and 18” wide. The lavenders flowers bloom middle of summer. This mouse-ear hosta was named 2008 Hosta of the Year.
Variegated Mouse-Ear Hostas
Hosta ‘Royal Mouse Ears’ is a blue-green hosta but with cream colored streaks throughout. The pale lavender flowers bloom in late June. This plant grows 5” tall and 9” wide.
Hosta ‘Frosted Mouse Ears’ is a sport of H. ‘Royal Mouse Ears.’ The plant’s leaves have swaths of bluish green with a wide band of creamy white along the margins. The plant grows 7” tall and spreads 18” wide. The flower clusters are purple.
Hosta ‘Cat and Mouse’ is a sport of H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears.’ The leaves have a chartreuse center sandwiched by blue and green coloring on either side. During summer the colors can become paler developing yellowish hues. In mid summer, small lavender flowers bloom. The plant grows 6” – 8” tall and 18” wide.
What are Hosta Sports
A mutation that develops on any current plant cultivar is called a sport. Hostas are thought to be genetically unstable, therefore many hosta plants mutate into different leaf and color patterns. Hosta enthusiasts who hybridize cultivars sometimes use sports in creating a wide selection of plant cultivars for gardeners.
Miniature Hostas in Small Gardens
Miniature hostas are appropriate in scale to grow especially in small gardens. Hosta collectors like them for their petite size, able to fit a variety of different leaf patterns and colors in a space where previously one very large hosta may have filled. Miniature hostas are very popular in container gardens in cold climates as the ability to over winter them is more manageable.
For more about plantain lilies, gardeners can read a guide on hostas for flower gardens. A list of hostas offers more ideas for blooming gardens.
 |
 |
