Product Description
Hosta 'Sound of Music' PP35563 CPBRAF (20)ct Flat Proven Winners® SHADOWLAND® Collection
Common Name: Hosta
Bring your garden alive with the 'Sound of Music'. This giant hosta will add immediate interest with heavily corrugated, medio variegated leaves. Chartreuse centers jet to glaucous blue-green margins. Centers mature to creamy white in summer. In early summer large clusters of near white flowers will have birds and pollinators singing in the shade garden. 'Sound of Music' has the queen of hostas in the background, 'Empress Wu', so you know it's going to get big!
Hostas are exceedingly popular perennials in today's gardens due to their versatility in the landscape. Their subtle colors, tall flower scapes, and broad, coarse leaves fill a niche in garden designs that few other plants can achieve. Their large leaves provide excellent coverage for dying bulb foliage. Hostas also grow well in city environments where the air may be polluted by car exhaust, etc.
Hostas grow best in moist, well-drained, highly organic soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Sandy loam is better than clay because it provides more aeration for the roots. High-filtered or dappled sunlight is necessary for clean, healthy growth. Morning sun is tolerable and will help to intensify the leaf colors, but hot afternoon sun is usually deadly to hostas. They are most at home in shady, woodland settings and often work well as specimen or edging plants.
Especially in northern zones, hostas should be mulched with a layer of finely shredded organic material to prevent heaving in the winter. Mulch is beneficial because it retains moisture around the plant's roots, but it is also the ideal place for slugs to hide. Watch for holes in the center of the leaves. If they are present, so are slugs. Applying a slug bait in early spring when new shoots are beginning to emerge will help to reduce the slug population. After a few years when plants are firmly established, the mulch can be removed completely, which should eliminate the slug problem altogether. Also be sure to clean all hosta foliage out of the garden in early winter after the plants have gone dormant. By doing so, you will be ridding the area of the eggs of slugs and other leaf-eating insects.
Height: 30.0-32.0 Inches
Spread: 60.0-66.0 Inches
Hardiness Zones: 3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Flower Color: White Shades
Foliage Color: Green shades, Blue shades, Variegated
Part Shade to Full Shade
Average to Consistent Water Needs
Average to Fertile Soil Quality
Bloomtime: Midsummer, Late Summer
Attracts Hummingbirds
Growth Rate: Medium
Border Plant, Container, Cut Foliage, Easy To Grow, Attractive Foliage, Mass Planting, Specimen, Focal Point
Hosta 'Sound of Music' is a grand and impressive hosta cultivar that truly lives up to its name, bringing a symphony of color and texture to the shade garden. It is a newer introduction by Hans Hansen, known for its large size and striking variegated foliage. Here is a closer look at what makes 'Sound of Music' so special:
Appearance:
- Leaves: The leaves are large and rounded, reaching almost 15 inches in length, with a unique variegation pattern. The centers emerge chartreuse yellow and are surrounded by a wide, blue-green margin. As the season progresses, the centers mature to a creamy white, creating a beautiful contrast with the blue-green edges. The leaves also develop strong corrugation, adding a dramatic, wavy texture.
- Size: 'Sound of Music' is a giant hosta, forming an impressive, upright clump that reaches about 30 inches in height and 60-66 inches in width. This makes it a statement piece in the shade garden, demanding attention with its size and presence.
- Flowers: In early summer, 'Sound of Music' produces near-white flowers on tall scapes that rise above the foliage. The flowers are attractive to pollinators and add a touch of elegance to the display, but the main attraction is undoubtedly the foliage.
Growing Information:
- Light: Like most hostas, 'Sound of Music' prefers part shade to light shade. It can tolerate some morning sun, but it is best to avoid hot afternoon sun, which can scorch the leaves.
- Soil: It thrives in moist, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Adding compost or well-rotted manure to the planting hole will help to improve soil fertility and drainage.
- Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry spells. However, avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot.
- Hardiness: 'Sound of Music' is hardy in USDA zones 3-9, making it suitable for a wide range of climates.
Other Notable Features:
- Dramatic Foliage: The combination of large size, variegated colors, and heavy corrugation makes the foliage of 'Sound of Music' truly dramatic and eye-catching.
- Vigorous Growth: This hosta is a vigorous grower that will quickly fill in a space in the garden.
- Pollinator-Friendly: The flowers attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds, adding an ecological benefit to its aesthetic value.
Uses in the Garden:
- Shade Gardens: It is a perfect addition to any shade garden, where its impressive foliage can add a bold statement.
- Woodland Gardens: It blends beautifully with other shade-loving plants in a woodland setting, creating a lush and textured tapestry.
- Specimen Plant: Its large size and striking foliage make it an excellent specimen plant, drawing the eye and adding a touch of drama to the garden.
- Background Plant: It can also be used as a background plant in larger shade gardens, providing a backdrop for smaller, more colorful plants.
Additional Tips:
- Protect from slugs and snails, which can damage the leaves.
- Divide clumps every few years to maintain vigor and prevent overcrowding.
- Remove any dead or damaged leaves to keep the plant looking its best.
Hosta 'Sound of Music' is a truly remarkable hosta that is sure to bring a symphony of beauty to your shade garden. Its dramatic foliage, vigorous growth, and pollinator-friendly flowers make it a must-have for any hosta enthusiast.
Other Details
The most important part of the plant is its root system. Healthy roots are the foundation of a healthy, vibrant plant. The type of plug container used is based on the specific needs of the plants. Perennials offered as bare root traditionally perform better when planted as bare root.Planted in a specialized mix, potted plants have well established root systems. Top growth stage will vary depending on the current life cycle and time of year when shipped. In Winter and early Spring dormant plants may be shipped. Dormant plants may be planted right away, even before the last frost date.
Most bare root varieties are field grown for at least one season, though Hemerocallis and Hosta are grown for two seasons. The bulk of the soil is removed during the harvesting process and the tops of most varieties are trimmed back to the crown. They are graded, packed in shredded aspen or sphagnum moss and stored in freezers until ready to be shipped.
See our Container Sizes and Bare Root Perennials pages for more information.
Plant information and care is provided in the Overview section, Plant Genus Page and general information is provided in the Planting Care & Guides. Additional questions can be asked on each Plant page.
Plant Spacing: Using the maximum mature spread or width of a plant to guide spacing, ensures space to grow to full size. To fill an area sooner, plant them closer together. Just remember, future thinning or transplanting may be needed.
Water: Keep a close eye on newly planted perennials, especially throughout the first growing year. Most early plant loss is due to too much or too little water!
