Spice up your summer garden with 'Yellow Polka Dot Bikini'! This hosta's unusual leaves feature pale gold edges and green centers, separated by a thin white strip. By summer, the edges darken to apple green, sometimes growing even darker than the centers.

Scientific Name: Hosta 'Yellow Polka Dot Bikini'

Common Name: Yellow Polka Dot Bikini Hosta

Garden Size: 8-10 inches tall by 16-18 inches wide

Growth Rate: Most hostas have a moderate to fast growth rate.

USDA Zone: 3-9

Exposure: Partial to full shade

Water & Soil: Moist, well-drained soil

Habit (Form): Mounding

Foliage: Variegated foliage that changes color and form throughout the season. In spring, small, cupped leaves emerge with pale yellow edges and green centers, separated by thin, irregular white lines. As they mature, the leaves flatten and the yellow edges darken to an apple green that sometimes becomes darker than the central color, a reversal that is unusual in a variegated hosta.

Flowers: Lavender, tube-shaped flowers that grow on scapes above the foliage. Blooms early to mid summer.

Plant Origin: East Asia, primarily Japan and Korea. Most commercially available hostas are hybrids.

Wildlife Support: Hummingbirds and some bees enjoy the flowers. A favorite treat for our local deer.

Fertilizing: Apply compost in early spring before new growth emerges.

Pruning: Remove spent flower stalks to encourage new growth; trim back damaged or yellowing leaves as needed. Leave the leaves over the winter and wait until early spring to clean up.

ASPCA Toxicity flags (see their site for details): Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses

Uses: Ideal for shade gardens, woodland borders, and container plantings.

AHS Classification: IV-6b (Small Leaved, Green or Blue Margined, Green to Blue Center)

Parentage: Sport of H. ‘Striptease’