17+ Hostas You Can Plant in the Sun

Did you know you can buy hostas that will grow well in the sun? Despite being called full-sun hostas, though, these plants aren’t like coneflower or daisies that can take eight hours of intense sun. Rather, hostas that withstand sun are referred to as sun-tolerant hostas. That means they can take some sun — definitely a little more than most of their shade-loving hosta cousins — but still need protection from the hot afternoon sun.

Kelly Funk, president of plant company Jackson & Perkins has a variety of tips for people who want to try full-sun hostas in their garden. The first tip: don't expose them to too much sun, as in more than six hours. "It's crucial to ensure hostas planted in full sun receive adequate moisture, especially during hot, dry periods," says Funk. She also recommends planting them "under or on the north side of taller plants or under structures with dappled shade to shield them from excessive heat." Adding organic matter to the soil, using fertilizer and a layer of mulch are all critical too, says Funk, in keeping your hostas healthy. "To help full-sun hostas thrive, maintain consistently moist soil by watering deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry."

Shown here: Hosta 'Patriot.' This sun-tolerant and large (23 inches tall by 50 inches wide) hosta features creamy yellow to bright white margins against dark green leaves.

Pale, papery spots on hosta leaves that ultimately turn brown and crispy aren’t a true disease, but simply a sunburn. The problem with sunburned hosta leaves is that they weaken the plant as it loses leaves, and diseases can easily take hold. A hosta doesn’t need to be in full sun for sunburn to develop. Even hostas in part shade can suffer if clouds take a vacation. When that happens, water more, which can help plants cope with sun exposure. If your hosta bed is in a part-shade location, fill it with sun-tolerant varieties, like Hosta plantaginea (which boasts fragrant flowers), ‘Sun Power,’ ‘Sundance,’ ‘Honeybells’ or ‘Sun Glow.’

The thing to know about sun-tolerant hostas is that while they withstand more sun than traditional shade-loving hostas, they do need protection from sun during the hottest part of the day. In Zone 6 and north, hostas can tolerate more sun than in warmer zones. In the hottest zones, even sun-tolerant hostas will have a tough time withstanding more than a few hours of sun.

Hostas for sun also feature many varieties with gold- or yellow-toned leaves. These lighter-colored hostas do tend to burn in full sun, so plan to provide protection from the hottest afternoon sun. Hosta ‘Sun Power’ unfurls bright chartreuse leaves that splash gold into a planting, while ‘Fried Bananas’ brings a real glow to any landscape with its shiny gold leaves.

Many of the sun-tolerant hostas tend to have thicker leaves. Often the full-sun hostas also have very textural leaves with patterns that are embossed, puckered, pleated, wrinkled or ruffled, such as seen in the ‘August Moon’ variety. Botanically, these leaves are described as being rugose. Many gardeners refer to these types of leaves as corrugated. Hostas with rugose leaves also tend to be more slug-resistant. Other examples of rugose-type hostas for sun include Hosta ‘Sum and Substance,’ ‘Guacamole' and ‘Stained Glass.’ Many of the Hosta fortunei hybrids and sports also have rugose leaves, including ‘Fortunei Hyacinthina’ and ‘Fortunei Aureomarginata.’

Glowing and vibrant, 'Sun Power' does better than many hostas with a little sun, showing off its bright, slightly twisted mound of golden leaves. Give this hosta morning sun or full sun in cool climates for the best color.

Jackson & Perkins president Kelly Funk calls 'Francee' "one of the best white-margined Hostas." She likes its cold hardiness and ease of growing and its pretty rippled, medium-green leaves. Though it can tolerate some sun, 'Francee' prefers partial shade in order to look its best. Its delicate lavender summertime flowers attract pollinators.

A perennial with a dramatic name, 'Fire and Ice' features variegated foliage and slightly twisted leaves with white centers and green margins. 'Fire and Ice' works well as edging and in borders.

Frosty blue leaves distinguish this handsome, unique hosta that grows in an upright, vase-shaped mound.

With large green leaves with dark green margins, the hosta 'Gold Standard' boasts a large mound of foliage. The morning sun tends to enhance the gold color of this hosta's leaves.

A vigorous hosta with an excellent growth rate, hosta 'Vulcan' will do well with some dappled or filtered sun. Aim for a site with morning sun to bring out the plant's pretty colors and give this medium-sized perennial its best chance at survival. Just keep 'Vulcan' out of the more intense afternoon sun which can cause leaves to burn. This moisture-loving hosta produces pale lavender flowers in midsummer and prefers soil that is not allowed to dry out.

A popular white-margined hosta, 'Minuteman' has been given an Award of Garden Merit by England's Royal Horticultural Society. This handsome hosta is often used in edging, in beds and borders, and can be propagated in early spring or late summer. Very dark green, satiny leaves provide dramatic contrast when set against bright white margins in 'Minuteman.' Leaves are sometimes wavy and slightly cupped. A low-maintenance hosta, 'Minuteman' performs best in USDA Zones 3-9. Heat- and sun-tolerant, 'Minuteman' is similar to the 'Patriot' hosta, though it boasts thicker leaves and darker green centers.

Bright, golden-yellow oval leaves make the 'Stained Glass' hosta an ideal choice for a part-shade or full-sun garden. This hosta is extremely adaptable and can work in containers too.

Many hostas with fragrant flowers fall into the sun-tolerant hostas group. These hostas usually have a touch of Hosta plantaginea in their family tree. Hosta plantaginea, which is a sun-tolerant hosta, is a Chinese native that opens white flowers in late summer at dusk, releasing a heady perfume. Other fragrant varieties of hostas for sun include ‘Ambrosia’ and ‘Fried Green Tomatoes.’

A heavily textured hosta, 'August Moon' features lovely heart-shaped chartreuse leaves that turn a soft yellow over time. 'August Moon' does well in filtered sunlight.

In all growing zones, hostas for sun thrive best when they have plenty of moisture. Plan to water sun-tolerant hostas more than their cousins growing in cooler, shadier conditions. Also, maintain a thick layer of mulch over the soil on sun-tolerant hostas to help conserve soil moisture. As you plan which hostas for sun fit your landscape needs, visit local nurseries in August and check out the hostas. The ones that don’t have burnt leaves are sturdy sun-tolerant hostas that you can count on to perform in your yard. Hosta 'So Sweet', shown here, tolerates full sun well. Its white blooms are characterized by a lovely fragrance.

This immense hosta grows up to 30 inches high and 60 inches in diameter. It features heart-shaped, thick-textured, glossy yellow leaves that turn golden over time with proper sun exposure and racemes of bell-shaped, fragrant white flowers on scapes up to 38 inches.

'Guacamole' is a medium-sized hosta with wide, oval leaves the color of your favorite Mexican restaurant staple. The avocado-colored leaves also feature darker green veins and margins. Its white flowers that appear in midsummer are extremely fragrant.

This hosta features attractive yellow leaves with a dark green margin that creates a great color contrast. The prominent veins throughout the leaf give this hosta a stained-glass-window effect. To grow 'Stained Glass' in full sun, good fertile soil and adequate moisture are needed.

Hosta 'Royal Standard' will distinguish itself in sun to part shade. This hosta bears sweet-scented white flowers that smell most intense in the evening. The fragrant flowers are set against pale green wavy, pointed leaves.

Graced with gorgeous, large heart-shaped leaves, hosta 'Age of Gold' performs best in morning sun or filtered shade.