Hosta Blue Mammoth

Hosta 'Blue Mammoth' is a variety that belongs to the giant category, one of the largest with blue foliage. Its heart-shaped leaves measure 35 cm in diameter and are wide, pleated, veined, slightly wavy, and lighter blue than most blue hosta leaves. They are thick and tall enough to be out of reach of slugs and snails. The funnel-shaped, white to pale lavender flowers, bloom in mid-summer on bare, upright, grey-green scapes. The best blue is achieved in light shade, although the foliage can tolerate some morning sun.

This Hosta is a hardy perennial from the asparagaceae family. This 'Blue Mammoth' variety was awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society in England. It carries the genes of a large Japanese species called Hosta sieboldiana and is a hybrid of H. sieboldiana 'Elegans'. This large perennial forms wide clumps from spring. The plant, which reaches maturity in 5 or 6 years, can reach up to 1 m in height and can spread over 1.20 m if conditions are suitable. It is a long-lived plant, with strongly veined heart-shaped leaves. The leaf blade, which can measure 35 cm in diameter, is thick and slightly wavy. This thick foliage resists slug and snail attacks quite well. Flowering usually occurs in July-August, in the form of elongated bells grouped at the top of the peduncles that emerge clearly from the foliage. Each flower opens in a pale lavender shade and quickly turns white. All the above-ground vegetation is deciduous and disappears in winter.

The 'Blue Mammoth' Hosta displays its unusual pale blue colour best in light shade or partial shade, planted in the east, in morning sun. Its large, tough, highly structured leaves often give it a prominent place in contemporary landscaped gardens. Plant it under deciduous trees, in cool beds or rockeries, and especially near water features. It is a spectacular perennial that can be grown in containers and even as a standalone specimen. It pairs well with plants of the same look  such as ferns and astilbes, for example. To highlight its extraordinary foliage, combine it with Carex and Hakonechloa with yellow to golden foliage.