Hosta 'Royal Standard'

Questions about hosta 'Royal Standard'

Does hosta 'Royal Standard' need sun or shade?

Hosta 'Royal Standard' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does hosta 'Royal Standard' grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 9. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does hosta 'Royal Standard' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers early August to early September. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should hosta 'Royal Standard' be planted?

3½ ft (100 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3½ ft (110 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 2 ft (65 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many hosta 'Royal Standard' plants do I need?

At 3½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 1 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 4 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 3 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is hosta 'Royal Standard' poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to dogs, cats and horses. Can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in pets if eaten.

Rated from the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like hosta 'Royal Standard'?

These come closest to doing what hosta 'Royal Standard' does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Hairy alumroot 'Autumn Bride': the same job in a bed and the same colour; 16 in narrower, flowers late August to early October.
• Obedient plant 'Miss Manners': the same job in a bed and the same colour; 22 in narrower, flowers mid July to early September.
• Mountain fleece 'Golden Arrow': the same job in a bed; 16 in narrower, flowers mid July to early October.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

What flowers after hosta 'Royal Standard'?

Hosta 'Royal Standard' is over by early September. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall.
• Bottle gentian: from late August to early October, 20 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Toad lily: from mid September to mid October, 2½ ft tall.

What does hosta 'Royal Standard' look like in winter?

Hosta 'Royal Standard' dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.