Hostas That Grow in Zone 4

Small Hostas

• Among the smaller hosta types growing to 12 inches or less appropriate for USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4 are cultivars such as Little Elf, Aztec Treasure, Brim Cup, Chartreuse Wiggles, Blue Blush, Dorset Blue, Blue Moon, Fragrant Blue and Gold Edger. One very small cultivar is Ginko Craig, growing to just 6 inches and having a spread of about 1 foot. Other smaller hostas are Temple Bells, Hadspen Hawk and Harmony. In the 12- to 18-inch size range are hostas including White Christmas, Spritzer, Shade Fanfare and Purple Ladyfinger.

Larger Hostas

• Vim and Vigor, Sum and Substance, Sagae, Elegans, Liberty, Gypsy Rose, Great Expectations, Gold Standard and Blue Umbrella are hostas with the ability to reach 36 inches high. A very large hosta for USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4 is the type called Hosta elata, hailing from Japan and growing to 5 feet high and 30 inches wide. Although not quite as large as some of the other big hostas, types like Zounds, Pearl Lake and Janet still reach 30 inches in height.

Features

• A number of hosta with something other than all green leaves as their main feature exists for USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4. One is Undulata Variegata, a type with wavy foliage possessing green edges and creamy white stripes in their middles. Another is the St. Elmo's Fire cultivar, displaying yellow leaves that change to green as the plant gets older. Revolution has a reputation for creamy leaves with green markings and speckles. Liberty possesses yellow leaf margins around a blue-green center, while Great Expectations has the reverse -- yellow interiors surrounded by blue-green edges, with the yellow changing over time to white. Amber Tiara has all gold foliage, notes Perennial Resource.

Growing Conditions and Uses

• The hostas for USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4 share many of the same traits as hostas for warmer areas. They do well in shade and handle a variety of soil types, with a few doing better in partial sunshine than others do. The smaller hostas work in rock gardens, in border fronts and when combined with other perennial plants. Some of the larger species make solid specimen plants around which to design a shade garden. The flowers of most hostas grow well above the foliage on extended stems called scapes. These flowers prove attractive to hummingbirds.