Liberty Hosta – Elegant and Showy
Liberty hosta is a zone 4 shade garden perennial that won the 2012 Hosta of the Year award. See photos and notes below about how to grow this beautiful plant.
I was reading online this morning about the 2012 Hosta of the Year, Liberty Hosta and was reminded of why I purchased the plant in 2010.
The photo above shows this hosta in June of 2010, the first season I purchased it. At that point it was just getting started.
A Large Hosta That Tolerates Sun
Even as a two year old plant, last summer I could tell it was going to be something special, but until I read the article I had forgotten that it will grow to 30″ wide and 20″ tall. I put it in an eastern exposure, but it does get the southern sun in mid-day.
Liberty is a sport of Sagae and that says it all! My Sagae Hostas are elegant and showy to say the least. I can see that Liberty is going to be more than that too.
Liberty has a wider border than Sagae. It has a bluish green center with a lovely golden margin. The leaves are a very nice heavy substance, even more than Sagae. The mature leaves are ruffled on the edges and very long and pointed.
The Liberty can take more hours of sun too than a lot of others and as summer advances, the edges turn lighter and to white by the end of the season.
The Hosta Liberty photographed on September 2, 2011… hardly any sun damage and no insect damage. Notice the lighter color on the leaf edge than the other picture.
Liberty Hosta Growing Information
- It is sun and slug resistant.
- It is a semi-upright Hosta.
- Upon maturity, it will grow to 30″ wide and 20″ tall.
- It is a slower grower and you need to be patient for it to mature to the 5 and 6 year mature size.
- As with most Hostas, don’t divide this one when small…be patient and wait for it to mature.
I have seen this Liberty over the years and wonder why I never purchased it earlier. I will be happy to show it off in my garden this summer as a gorgeous 3 year old specimen.
Many Hosta growers consider Liberty to be the best Hosta introduced in the past 10 years! I may just have to purchase a second one for another perennial bed!
