Hosta 'Gold Standard' is a dependable cultivar featuring chartreuse gold centers edged with deep green margins. As the season progresses, the center color brightens, adding glowing contrast to shaded garden spaces.
Height & Spread: 18 - 24 in x 36 - 48 in
Bloom Time: Midsummer
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Moist, well drained, organically rich soil
Watering Needs: Moderate; appreciates consistent watering during warm weather
Deer Resistance: Low to moderate
Native Status
Not native to North America. This cultivar was bred from Asian species and is widely grown for its striking variegation and reliability in shade gardens.
Wildlife & Insects
Bees
- Visited by honeybees and small native bees for pollen from its tubular flowers.
Hummingbirds
- Ruby Throated Hummingbirds may investigate midsummer blooms for nectar, particularly in shady garden spots.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 36 - 48 in apart to allow full growth and prevent crowding in shaded plantings.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent for mass planting in shady borders, as a focal specimen, or layered with other hostas for texture contrast.
Companion Plants
- Heuchera 'Obsidian' (Coral Bells) - Dark foliage creates rich contrast with the glowing gold tones of 'Gold Standard'.
- Astilbe chinensis 'Visions' (Chinese Astilbe) - Feathery blooms and textured leaves provide vertical accent and soft color alongside hostas.
- Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' (Japanese Forest Grass) - Graceful golden foliage echoes the hosta center tones and offers movement.
- Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn Fern) - Bronze new fronds and lacy texture enhance the structure and hue of hosta groupings.
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Looking Glass' (Siberian Bugloss) - Silvery leaves brighten shady spaces and contrast well with gold and green foliage.