Hosta of the Year: "Island Breeze"

​​Each year, since 1996, the American Hosta Growers Association members select one cultivar as an award winner, based in part on its ability to grow well in all regions of the country, be widely available in sufficient supply, and retail for about $15 in the year of its selection. The 2022 Hosta of the Year is “Island Breeze”, created by Walters Gardens Inc., Michigan.

​Color - Medio-variegated
Size - Medium (15"ht x 30"w)
Habit - Mounding
Bloom - Lavender

​First came ‘Fire Island’ (shown below) which was followed by its variegated progeny ‘Paradise Island’.  Now there is ‘Island Breeze’ which is the third member of this “tropical” family and a sport of ‘Paradise Island’. The improvements in this cultivar include more impressive variegation due to its wider margins, thicker leaf substance, and a strong growth rate.

​In early spring, wide, dark green margins stand in sharp contrast to the bright yellow centers.  As summer approaches, the centers become more chartreuse when plants are grown in heavier shade or lighter yellow if they are grown in more sun. Like ‘Paradise Island’, this one also has showy red speckled petioles that bleed up into the leaves. Dark lavender flowers appear on tall reddish greenscapes in midsummer. A plus in the garden, their large leaves provide excellent coverage for dying bulb foliage.

​Edited FROM WALTERS GARDENS website:
Hostas grow best in moist, well-drained, highly organic soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Sandy loam is better than clay because it provides more aeration for the roots. High-filtered or dappled sunlight is necessary for healthy growth. Morning sun is tolerable and will help to intensify the leaf colors, but hot afternoon sun is usually deadly. They are most at home in shady, woodland settings and often work well as specimen or edging plants.
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Especially in northern zones, hostas should be mulched with a layer of finely shredded organic material to prevent heaving in the winter. Mulch is beneficial as it retains moisture around the plant's roots, but it is also the ideal place for slugs, so watch for holes in the center of the leaves. If holes are present, so are slugs. Applying a slug bait in early spring when new shoots are beginning to emerge will help to reduce the slug population. After a few years when plants are firmly established, the mulch can be removed completely, which should eliminate the slug problem altogether. Also be sure to clean all hosta foliage out of the garden in early winter after the plants have gone dormant. By doing so, you will be ridding the area of the eggs of slugs and other leaf-eating insects.

​Credit to http://www.hostagrowers.org/Hosta_of_the_Year.html
 
Contributed by:  Vicki Gee-Treft, Master Gardener Volunteer