Sun-Tolerant Hostas

Ideal conditions for most hostas is morning sun and high filtered afternoon shade. Most damage occurs when temperatures are hot in the afternoon. In these conditions, hostas lose much of their moisture in the sun and during periods of strong winds. However, many hostas will grow fine in full sun if given adequate moisture to keep them from drying out. So, water profusely and keep them heavily mulched.

Factors that affect sun-tolerance include genetics, amount of water, how far north and influence of latitude, filtered shade/indirect sunlight vs. full sun, morning sun with afternoon shade vs. morning shade with afternoon sun, etc.

Generally, thick-leaved hostas and those with fragrant flowers tolerate sun conditions better than others. In areas where summers are very hot and dry, hostas should be planted in some shade, as the sun is just too intense. In these environments, hostas may go heat dormant for the hottest part of the year.

Below is a list of cultivars and species with the potential to tolerate full sun.

'Abba Dabba Do'
'Abba Dabba Wow'
'Abby'
'Abiqua Recluse'
'Allan P. McConnell'
'Alligator Alley'
'Ambrosia'
'American Choo Choo'
'American Hero'
'Ani Machi'
'Aphrodite'
'Apostel'
'Apple Candy'
'Appletini'
'Arctic Rim'
'Aspen Gold'
'Athena'
'Atlantis'
'August Moon'
'Avocado'
'Bedford Rise and Shine'
'Ben Vernooij'
'Birchwood Parky's Gold'
'Blonde Elf'
'Blue Angel'
'Blue Mammoth'
'Blue Mouse Ears'
'Blue Umbrellas'
'Bohemia Desert Border'
'Bohemia Praying Clown'
'Bohemia Ripple Blue Effect'
'Boracay'
'Bright Lights'
'Brother Stefan'
'Bulletproof'
'Captain Kirk'
'Carolina Sunshine'
'Cat and Mouse'
'Cathedral Windows'
'Chain Lightning'
'Cheatin Heart'
'Chic Boutique'
'Chinese Sunrise'
'Chingbanyuzan'
'Choo Choo Train'
'Christmas Gold'
'Christmas Tree'
'Circle of Light'
'City Lights'
clausa var. normalis
'Clifford's Polar Moon'
'Climax'
'Coast to Coast'
'Coconut Custard'
'Color Glory'
'Crazy Spirit'
'Cream Topping'
'Crown Prince'
'Crumb Cake'
'Curly Fries'
'Dancing Queen'
'Day's End'
'Daybreak'
'Dee's Golden Jewel'
'Deep Pockets'
'Deep Space Nine'
'Delona's Smile'
'Devon Cloud'
'Devon Green'
'Dinner Mint'
'Dixie Chick'
'Domaine de Courson'
'Don Stevens'
'Don's Gator Hide'
'Dust Devil'
'Eagle's Nest'
'Earth Angel'
'El Niño'
'Elatior'
'Elatior Falls'
'Emerald Charger'
'Emerald City Chick'
'Emerald Tiara'
'English Sunrise'
'Enterprise'
'Essence of Summer'
'Essence of Sunset'
'Etched Glass'
'Eternal Flame'
'Faith'
'Fascinator'
'Fancy Plant'
'Fantasy Island'
'Feather Boa'
'Final Victory'
'Fire and Ice'
'Fireworks'
'First Frost'
'Flash of Light'
'Flemish Gold'
'Flower Power'
'Forbidden Fruit'
'Fortunei Aureomarginata'
'Fragrant Bouquet'
'Fragrant Dream'
'Fragrant Fire'
'Fragrant Flame'
'Fragrant King'
'Fragrant Queen'
'Fragrant Star'
'Francee'
'Fried Bananas'
'Fried Green Tomatoes'
'Fringe Benefit'
'Frisian Pride'
'Frosted Frolic'
'Frozen Margarita'
'Fujibotan'
'Funky Monkey'
'Gabriel's Wing'
'Garden Party'
'Gentle Giant'
'George Smith'
'Giantland Sunny Mouse Ears'
'Gilt by Association'
'Glen Eyeful Tower'
'Gloriosa'
'Glory'
'Glossy Ruffles'
'Gold Drop'
'Gold Edger'
'Gold Glory'
'Gold Regal'
'Gold Standard'
'Golden Bullion'
'Golden Delight'
'Golden Fascination'
'Golden Friendship'
'Golden Galleon'
'Golden Gate'
'Golden Prayers'
'Golden Sculpture'
'Golden Tiara'
'Golden Waffles'
'Golden Years'
'Gosan Sunproof'
'Grand Master'
'Grand Prize'
'Grand Tiara'
'Grand Total'
'Grape Fizz'
'Green Acres'
'Green Fountain'
'Green Gables'
'Green Marmalade'
'Green Wedge'
'Guacamole'
'Guacamole and Sour Cream'
'Gunther's Prize'
'Gunther's Rim'
'Hacksaw'
'Hadspen Blue'
'Halcyon'
'Hands Up'
'Hanky Panky'
'Harriette Ward'
'Hawkeye'
'Heart and Soul'
'Heartache'
'Heatwave'
'Heaven Scent'
'Heavenly Green'
'High Noon'
'High Society'
'Holy Mole'
'Holy Mouse Ears'
'Honey'
'Honey Bear'
'Honey Pie'
'Honeybells'
'Hot Green Chilies'
'Hydon Sunset'
'Ice Cream'
'Independence'
'Inniswood'
'Invincible'
'Invincible Spirit'
'Irish Hills'
'Irish Luck'
'Iron Gate Delight'
'Island Breeze'
'Ivory Coast'
'Jabulani'
'Jade Stone'
'Jarno'
'Jaws'
'Jimmy Crack Corn'
'Joshua's Banner'
'Journey's End'
'Julia'
'Julia Gaede'
'June'
'June Fever'
'June Spirit'
'Just So'
'Justine'
'Katherine Lewis'
'Katie Q'
'Kayleigh's Sunshine'
'King Tut'
'Kingsize'
'Korean Snow'
'Krossa Regal'
'Lady Godiva'
laevigata
'Lakeside Baby Face'
'Lakeside Cha Cha'
'Lakeside Premier'
'Lancifolia'
'Last Dance'
'Leather Sheen'
'Lemon Delight'
'Lemon Frost'
'Lemon Juice'
'Lemon Lime'
'Lemontini'
'Liberty'
'Lime Piecrust'
'Little Aurora'
'Little Red Joy'
'Little Red Rooster'
'Little Sunspot'
'Little Treasure'
'Little Wonder'
'Long Tom'
'Loyalist'
'Lucy Vitols'
'Lunar Orbit'
'Maekawa'
'Magic Island'
'Marbled Bouquet'
'Margarita Ice'
'Mariachi'
'Marilyn'
'Maui Buttercups'
'May'
'Midas Touch'
'Midwest Magic'
'Millie's Memoirs'
'Ming Treasure'
'Minuteman'
'Miss Ruby'
'Miss Saigon'
'Mister Watson'
'Mojito'
'Monster Ears'
montana
'Naseweiss'
'Nature Green'
'Night Shift'
'Nightlife'
nigrescens
'Ohh! Charlotte'
'Old Faithful'
'Old Glory'
'Olive Bailey Langdon'
'Olympic Sunrise'
'On Stage'
'Orange Marmalade'
'Pamela Lee'
'Paradigm'
'Paradise Glory'
'Paradise Joyce'
'Paradise On Fire'
'Paradise Power'
'Paradise Sunshine'
'Parhelion'
'Parthenon'
'Pathfinder'
'Patriot'
'Paul Revere'
'Paul's Glory'
'Pearl Lake'
'Peppermint Cream'
'Permafrost'
'Pete's Mystery'
'Phyllis'
'Piedmont Gold'
plantaginea
'Prairie Magic'
'Prairie Sky'
'Prairieland Memories'
'Praying Hands'
'Prince of Darkness'
'Princess of Karafuto'
'Puddles and Bumps'
'Punky'
'Pure Heart'
'Purple Haze'
'Queen Josephine'
'Quesadilla'
'Quill'
'Radiant Edger'
'Radiant Star'
'Rainbow's End'
'Rainbow's Moon'
'Rainforest Sunrise'
'Raleigh Remembrance'
'Rascal'
'Raspberries and Cream'
'Raspberry Sorbet'
'Raucous Ruffles'
'Ray of Hope'
'Red Hot Poker'
'Red Stepper'
'Regal Splendor'
'Remember Me'
'Reptillian'
'Revolution'
'Rhino Hide'
'Rich Uncle'
'Ripple Effect'
'Rising Sun'
'Risky Business'
'Roller Coaster Ride'
'Rosedale Genevieve'
'Rosedale Golden Goose'
'Roxsanne'
'Royal Empress'
'Royal Mouse Ears'
'Royal Standard'
'Royal Super'
'Ruffed Up'
'Ryan's Big One'
'Sagae'
'Sahara Nights'
'Salsa'
'Salute'
'Savannah'
'Sea Beacon'
'Sea Gulf Stream'
'Second Wind'
'September Sun'
'Shade Fanfare'
'Sharon's Choice'
'Sherborne Swan'
'Shimmy Shake'
'Shining Tot'
sieboldiana 'Elegans'
sieboldii 'Alba'
'Silver Lode'
'Silver Threads and Golden Needles'
'Smash Hit'
'Snow Mouse'
'So Sweet'
'Solar Flare'
'Spritzer'
'Squash Casserole'
'Stained Glass'
'Stand by Me'
'Sting'
'Straight Flush'
'Strawberry Parfait'
'Striptease'
'Sugar and Cream'
'Sugar and Spice'
'Sultana'
'Sum and Substance'
'Summer Breeze'
'Summer Fragrance'
'Summer Lovin'
'Sun Glow'
'Sun Power'
'Sundance'
'Sunlight Cinderella'
'Sun's Glory'
'Super Bowl'
'Sweet Bo Peep'
'Sweet Home Chicago'
'Sweet Innocence'
'Sweet Tator Pie'
'Sweet Thing'
'T Rex'
'Tattle Tails'
'Tattoo'
'Tears of Joy'
'Teaspoon'
'Tenryu'
'The High Life'
'Tick Tock'
'Tickle Me Pink'
'Tijuana Brass'
'Totally Twisted'
'Touch of Class'
'Treasure'
'Tutu'
'Twenty-four Carat Gold'
'Twilight'
'Twist of Lime'
'Undulata'
'Undulata Albomarginata'
'Valerie's Vanity'
'Valley's Bronze Stature'
'Valley's Chute-the-chute'
'Valley's Cover Lady'
'Valley's Yellow Bird'
'Vanilla Cream'
ventricosa
'Venus'
'Vera Verde'
'Victory'
'Viette Eighteen'
'Violetta'
'Vulcan'
'Wave Runner'
'Wheaton Blue'
'Wheee!'
'Whirling Dervish'
'Whirlwind'
'White Fairy'
'White Shoulders'
'Winfield Gold'
'Wings of a Prayer'
'Winter Snow'
'World Cup'
'Wylde Green Cream'
'Xanadu Paisley'
'Yan Zan'
'Yellow Splash Rim'
'You Are My Sunshine'
'Yu Lei'
'Zippity Do Dah'
'Zounds'

Your input and comments are appreciated, please use our contact page. You will be asked to enter an access code, please use access code whatever.