Empress Wu Hosta

The Tallest Hosta around! The Empress Wu Hosta, (Hosta 'Empress Wu') is a very impressive Hosta that rises above any other Hosta plant! It was named in honor of the only female emperor to rule China and it carries on the legacy beautifully.

Empress Wu produces a strong clump-forming plant that is a fast grower with an outstanding upright growth habit. It boasts dark green leaves that are simply massive! You simply have to see for yourself to believe their size! The pale lavender trumpet-shaped blooms appear in the summer on tall scapes that attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden and add lovely blooms to your cut flower bouquets!

With leaves easily twice the size of dinner plates, we suggest lifting up the lowest level of foliage to water underneath. Otherwise, a simple overhead watering may be deflected by the greenery, leaving the roots just as dry as they were before. Spreading a fantastic 5-6 feet in width and growing 3-4 feet in height when in bloom! Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 3-9.

Planting and Application:

Try planting this impressive Empress Wu in a particularly shady area of your garden to create a large-scale specimen and focal point. We promise it'll grow to be quite the spectacle sure to be noticed by guests and neighbors alike. These are eye-catching anchors to garden beds in the understory, or create a very modern wilderness garden! They'll also help control erosion on slopes and gullies, and is a fine size for groundcover, edging, or specimen use!

You could also plant at the base of a wise old oak tree whose shady canopy might not be conducive to full sun perennials. Create a large skirting of soft green, broad leaves that act as great facer plants around large plants, to hide their leggy stems, and as backdrops to your Rose and Pollinators gardens, shady Cottage gardens, and foundation plantings on the shady of your home!

• Humungous Dark Green Leave
• Light Lavender Flowers Mid-Summer
• Supports Hummingbirds & Pollinators
• Living Work of Art, Edging, Specimens & Large Planters
• Perfect Filler for Shade Gardens
• Hosta of the Year Award-Winner by American Hosta Growers

#ProPlantTips for Care:

High-filtered or dappled sunlight is necessary for clean, healthy growth. Because of its size and fast growth rate, Empress Wu demands soil that is consistently moist but not soggy. In order for Empress Wu to reach its mature growth size, it needs consistent soil moisture and is fed three times per season. It is a low-care perennial that is ideal for a shady area. This Perennial grows best in moist, well-drained, highly organic soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Provide moderate yet consistent moisture throughout the growing season and these appreciate a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch chips to help hold in moisture. It is best to keep areas around Hostas clear of excess leaf debris to reduce the presence of slugs and snails. Deadhead these Perennials after flowers fade, and clean the foliage away from the plant once it dies back in the autumn.

• Glorious in Full Shade or Partial Shade
• Moderate Moisture & Needs Well-Drained Soil
• Appreciates Mulch
• Prune in Late Fall After Leaves Die Back
• Divide Every Few Years
• Extremely Cold Hardy

Empress Wu is tall enough to be added in a back row planting or as a north-facing foundation plant. Finish your shade gardens today by ordering an Empress Wu Hosta from our expert growers at Nature Hills Nursery!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Hostas need full sun or shade?

Hosta does best in full sun in cooler climates but does appreciate afternoon protection from the worst of the summer sun, especially in the hottest of their growing zone range. In the hottest climates, Hosta like partial shade or dappled shade, and some varieties will do great in full shade.

Where do Hostas grow best?

Hosta plants love enriched, well-drained soil that is moderately yet consistently moist throughout the growing season. They appreciate mulched garden beds.

Do Hostas come back every year? Are Hostas a perennial plant?

With vigorous carefree growth, Hostas are herbaceous perennial plants that will return year after year with little maintenance.

What do you do with Hostas in the fall? What do you do with Hostas in the winter?

Hosta leaves will die back after frost but the crowns and roots remain intact and dormant until next spring. Prune back the leaves once they turn brown in the autumn and remove them from the plant's area. For winter protection, add a layer of compost or mulch over the crowns to protect them from the chill.

Do Hosta attract hummingbirds or pollinators?

Hostas are loved by pollinators and hummingbirds! All walks of beneficial pollinators will show up to sip their nectar.

What Shipping Options Do You Offer?

NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and don'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Hosta Plants for sale here at NatureHills.com!