The ‘Dream Queen’ Hosta is a popular perennial plant known for its striking, heart-shaped leaves with wide blue-green margins and a creamy white center. It is a slow-growing, low-maintenance variety highly valued for its shade tolerance and resistance to slugs.
Appearance & Dimensions
- Foliage: The leaves are large, nearly round to heart-shaped, slightly cupped, and corrugated (puckered). The margins are a wide, intense blue-green, and the center is a narrow, streaky creamy white that ages from an initial yellow tint.
- Size: Mature plants typically reach about 16-20 inches in height with a spread of around 24-30 inches.
- Flowers: Dainty spikes of nearly white, tubular flowers appear in mid-summer, which are known to attract hummingbirds.
Growing Conditions
- Sunlight: This hosta thrives in partial to full shade. Morning sun is acceptable and can enhance leaf colors, but it should be protected from the harsh afternoon sun to prevent scorching.
- Soil: It prefers moist, well-drained, highly organic soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Sandy loam is often recommended over clay for better aeration.
- Hardiness Zone: It is hardy in zones 3 through 9.
- Maintenance: ‘Dream Queen’ Hosta is relatively low maintenance. The dying foliage should be cleaned out of the garden in early winter after the plant has gone dormant to help control pests.
