Hosta 'Empress Wu' 8/2021 Hosta-
Hosta 'Empress Wu' 8/2021 Hosta- (Skaggs, IN) Giant Hosta, Mature size: 4x7’, blue-green in spring, USDA Hardiness Zone 3-8
Missouri Botanical Garden: ‘Empress Wu’ is by reputation the largest hosta ever introduced into commerce. It will eventually mature to 4-5' tall and spread to 6-8' wide with huge, deeply-veined, cordate-based, green leaves to 28" long by 25" wide. Leaves emerge glaucous blue-green in spring, but lose the waxy coating and blue tint as they mature by summer to matte or slightly shiny green. Pale lavender flowers on short scapes bloom just above the foliage in early summer. Each flower is subtended by a large pale lavender bract. 'Empress Wu' is a self-pollinating cross of H. 'Big John' that was developed by Brian Skaggs and Virginia Skaggs in Lowell, Indiana. Cultivar name honors Empress Wu (Wu Zetian - 624 AD to 705 AD) who was the only female in the history of China to serve as emperor. U.S. Plant Patent PP20,774 was issued on February 23, 2010.
Giant Hosta. Self-pollinating cross of H. 'Big John.' Cultivar named after Empress Wu (Wu Zetian - 624 AD to 705 AD), the only female in the history of China to serve as emperor. U.S. Plant Patent issued on in 2010. Proven Winners® variety. Late frost damage to initial leaves in 2020, recovered nicely.
Photo by F.D.Richards, SE Michigan. Additional photos of this plant from 2017, 18, 19, 20:
Hosta 'Empress Wu' 8/2021 Hosta-
Hosta 'Empress Wu' 8/2021 Hosta- (Skaggs, IN) Giant Hosta, Mature size: 4x7’, blue-green in spring, USDA Hardiness Zone 3-8
Missouri Botanical Garden: ‘Empress Wu’ is by reputation the largest hosta ever introduced into commerce. It will eventually mature to 4-5' tall and spread to 6-8' wide with huge, deeply-veined, cordate-based, green leaves to 28" long by 25" wide. Leaves emerge glaucous blue-green in spring, but lose the waxy coating and blue tint as they mature by summer to matte or slightly shiny green. Pale lavender flowers on short scapes bloom just above the foliage in early summer. Each flower is subtended by a large pale lavender bract. 'Empress Wu' is a self-pollinating cross of H. 'Big John' that was developed by Brian Skaggs and Virginia Skaggs in Lowell, Indiana. Cultivar name honors Empress Wu (Wu Zetian - 624 AD to 705 AD) who was the only female in the history of China to serve as emperor. U.S. Plant Patent PP20,774 was issued on February 23, 2010.
Giant Hosta. Self-pollinating cross of H. 'Big John.' Cultivar named after Empress Wu (Wu Zetian - 624 AD to 705 AD), the only female in the history of China to serve as emperor. U.S. Plant Patent issued on in 2010. Proven Winners® variety. Late frost damage to initial leaves in 2020, recovered nicely.
Photo by F.D.Richards, SE Michigan. Additional photos of this plant from 2017, 18, 19, 20: