Description
A Tactile Work of Art for the Shade
Hosta ‘Crinkled Leather’ is a blue-green hosta bred by Don Dean and registered in 2014. It comes from H. ‘Ebony Spires’ and H. ‘Silver Frost’. The leaves are heavily rippled, deeply corrugated, and moderately cupped. A thick, waxy bloom coats both surfaces and gives the foliage a sapphire-grey sheen. It grows well in Canadian shade gardens across zones 3–9 and forms a tall, upright mound.
- Intense Rugosity: Foliage becomes more corrugated as it matures, building a sculptural presence that deepens through the season.
- Glaucous Blue Sheen: A thick, waxy coating on both leaf surfaces gives a sapphire-grey finish that catches dappled light.
- Dynamic Structure: Leaves are moderately cupped, lightly twisted, and heavily rippled along the margins for a multi-dimensional display.
- Stately Upright Form: The vase-like habit adds height to the mid-border and pairs well with lower-growing shade perennials.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Size (H × W) | 56 cm × 86 cm (22″ × 34″) |
| Hardiness Zone | 3–9 |
| Colour | Medium blue-green with glaucous bloom |
| Light Requirements | Partial to full shade |
Grower’s Tip: Avoid overhead watering to preserve the glaucous bloom that gives ‘Crinkled Leather’ its cobalt finish — the waxy coating is easily disturbed. We wait at our Bécancour trial fields for the first signs of puckering to confirm every division is True to Type before it ships.
