Hosta Golden Needles

Hosta Golden Needles is a variety which is very small in size with unusual and particularly bright foliage. Its leaves are entirely striped with green on a yellow background. Its summer flowering takes the form of spikes of lavender flowers carried by yellow stems. Colour, as well as hardiness, characterise this pretty perennial of damp shade. Its foliage, with a thick texture for a dwarf hosta, is more resistant to slug attacks. Very beautiful in pots or as a border plant.

This Hosta 'Golden Needles' is derived from Hosta 'Silver Threads and Golden Needles'. This selection forms a more compact clump than its parent, and its yellow leaves have green stripes distributed over their entire surface, not just in the centre. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asparagaceae family, formerly classified in the Liliaceae or Hostaceae depending on the classifications. Its deciduous vegetation emerges from the ground in spring and disappears in winter. The plant forms a small upright clump that only reaches 9-10 cm (4in) in height and spreads up to 30 cm (12in) in width. The leaves are heart-shaped with a pointed tip.  They are thick and smooth in texture, with very inconspicuous veins, carried by a rigid petiole. From July to August, a series of yellowish stems rise among the leaves, each bearing a terminal cluster of purple flowers that are slightly pendulous and scentless. Hostas appreciate rich loamy soils, even heavy and clay soils as long as they remain slightly moist even in summer. If they are happy, they will live for years without requiring special care.

Pair this Hosta Golden Needles with the gold of Geranium phaeum Margaret Wilson, the black of Ophiopogon Nigrescens for contrast, or the purple fronds of Athyrium niponicum Pictum fern. These are decorative plants, as well as effective slug repellents. Brunnera macrophylla Mr Morse with its silvery foliage, familiar to the undergrowth, will be excellent companions. Also consider Heucheras and their wonderful range of colours, or the delicate flowers of Epimediums. Plant them to enhance the shaded and slightly damp parts of the garden. Hostas also thrive in pots, which should be placed in partial shade and watered regularly.