What Plants Should You Plant with Hostas?

I’m a huge hosta fan. I wouldn’t call myself a collector but I really enjoy how well hostas thrive with very little need for attention. Hostas certainly have a few issues but to me they are a very easy going plant to grow in the garden. There are so many varieties of hosta available with all kinds of variegation that you could do a garden with only hostas but what would be the fun in that? If you want to mix up your hosta garden/shade garden a little here are some suggestions of plants you should plant near your hostas!

Hosta Growing Conditions

When looking for good companion plants you want to consider the main plant’s growing conditions. Hostas thrive in the shade. They can tolerate a little morning sun and a few varieties can handle a little more than that but overall shade is where hostas need to be. For hosta companion plants look for plants that like shady areas. These plants need to be able to handle partial shade to full shade.

Hostas like have cool moist soil but don’t want to be in areas that tend to get waterlogged. They typically like a soil pH to be between 6.0 and 7.5 which is slightly acidic.

Hosta Propagation

Hostas are easily divided to make more. If you would like to learn about that check out this post and the video: How to Propagate Hostas through Division.

Hosta Pest Issues

The two main pest issues hostas have in my garden are slugs and deer. Slugs can be easily handled by putting cups of beer around the hosta garden. The slugs are drawn to the beer like magnets, drop themselves in the cups, and drown. It’s very effective! You could also use some crushed eggshells to create borders around the hosta plants. The sharp edges of the eggshells hurt the slugs soft bodies and they will go elsewhere.

Deer are another problem that is difficult issue to control. The most effective way to stop deer from entering your garden are deer fences but they need to be very tall. Deer can jump an 8ft fence so you may have to go 10ft for it to be effective. I find that interplanting plants the deer don’t like with my hostas helps. Also I have my hosta garden close to our house which probably helps to deter the deer a little. All the human sound and noise may give them second thoughts at coming so close. Other methods that may work with deer:

• Predator urine (wolf, coyote, etc.)
• Irish Spring soap
• Blood meal

These methods deter deer by introducing scents the deer do not like. The urine and blood meal both trick the deer into believe a predator is nearby. The Irish spring soap simply is a scent they don’t like and can discourage them from going into those areas of the garden.

What do I Plant with my Hostas?

In my garden I’ve used several plants as companion plants for the hostas. Heuchera are an obvious great choice to plant with hostas as they are also shade loving plants. Heuchera (or coral bells) don’t like to get waterlogged and prefer to be planted with the crown of the plant above the grade of the soil. Other than that they are fairly care free. Heucheras can also be grown from seed very easily.

I’ve found that hellebore is a great deer deterrent. Hellebore is a poisonous plant that the deer just won’t eat. If you interplant your hostas with some hellebore it will help to confuse the deer and they will bother the surrounding plants much less.

Solomon’s Seal is another great plant to put near hostas. It grows through rhizomes and will colonize small areas. Solomon’s Seal isn’t invasive but if it ranges out of it’s area a little it is easy to remove. Ours is a variegated type that isn’t a native plant but there are varieties of Solomon’s Seal that are native to the eastern United States.

Hydrangeas are an excellent shrub to plant around your hostas. Of course they can grow very large depending on the type of hydrangea you plant so use hydrangeas as back drops for the rest of your shade garden. In our garden I have Oak Leaf hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens, and Hydrangea ‘Lady in Red’.

Our shade garden also has a few other plants like astilbe which has flower stalks that emerge in spring and Japanese painted ferns. In shade garden areas I lean heavily on the foliage which is why I love the ferns.

Other Plants you Should Plant Near Hostas

I don’t have all of following plants in our garden but they should do well as companion plants to your hostas.

Bleeding heart – This plant produces delicate, heart-shaped flowers that dangle from arching stems. It’s also a shade-loving plant that pairs well with hostas.

Japanese forest grass – This grass has striking, golden-yellow foliage that adds a bright splash of color to the garden, and it grows well in the same conditions as hostas.

Pulmonaria – Also known as lungwort, this plant produces clusters of pink, blue, or white flowers in early spring. It’s another shade-loving plant that pairs well with hostas.

Tiarella – Also known as foamflower, tiarella produces delicate, frothy flowers in shades of white or pink. It prefers the same growing conditions as hostas and makes an excellent companion plant. Tiarella can be bred with heucheras to make heucherella which is also a good hosta companion plant.

Azalea – Azaleas are known for their stunning, brightly colored flowers that bloom in the spring. They prefer acidic soil, which is the same soil type that many hostas grow well in.

Fothergilla – This deciduous shrub produces fragrant white flowers in the spring and has stunning fall foliage. It grows well in partial shade and can complement the texture of hostas. I actually do have 1 fothergilla plant but it actually needs more sunlight than it currently has. It’s nearly in complete shade.

Rhododendron – Rhododendrons are another acid-loving shrub that pairs well with hostas. They produce showy flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, and red.

Hostas can be great plants for the shade garden but always try to mix it up a little with some great companion plants!

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