Hosta 'Drinking Gourd' is a standout shade perennial with deeply cupped corrugated blue green leaves that hold rainwater like small bowls. Its unique foliage texture and form offer a sculptural quality in woodland borders and shaded beds. In midsummer, it sends up sturdy scapes with pale lavender flowers that attract pollinators and add vertical contrast to the mounded habit.
Height & Spread: 12 - 18 in x 24 - 30 in
Bloom Time: Midsummer
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Moist, rich, well drained soil
Watering Needs: Moderate; benefits from consistent moisture
Deer Resistance: Not deer resistant; foliage is often browsed
Native Status
Hosta 'Drinking Gourd' is a cultivated variety derived from species native to East Asia. While not native to North America, it is a reliable shade garden staple known for ornamental foliage and adaptability.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Bees
- The tubular lavender flowers attract bumblebees and honeybees for nectar gathering in summer months.
Beneficial Insects
- The dense foliage provides shelter and humid cover for ground beetles and predatory insects that aid in pest control.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Space plants 24 - 30 in apart to allow for mature spread and cupped leaf development.
Landscape Placement:
- Ideal for shaded beds, woodland gardens, or as a bold specimen in containers. Works well with other shade tolerant foliage plants.
Companion Plants
- Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' (Variegated Solomons Seal) - Arching stems and variegated foliage echo and contrast beautifully with the rounded Hosta leaves.
- Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn Fern) - Coppery new growth adds seasonal interest among blue green Hosta mounds.
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' - Silver veined heart shaped leaves provide striking contrast in texture and tone.
- Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila' - Feathered pink plumes and finely cut foliage create soft vertical movement alongside the broad Hosta leaves.
- Heuchera 'Obsidian' - Deep purple black foliage offers dramatic contrast to the cool blue tones of 'Drinking Gourd'.