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Empress Wu hosta

The Empress Wu hosta is a very large American hybrid hosta cultivar known for its large leaves and giant overall size. Most plants grow about 4-5 feet wide and 2-3 feet tall, although some individual specimens have grown much larger.

Empress Wu hosta basics

‘Empress Wu’ is one of the largest hosta varieties available. The giant green leaves have a blue tint and a puckered surface. The leaves grow in layers, creating a substantial plant.

Empress Wu hosta plants tend to grow in upright mounds that are most commonly 4-5 feet wide and 2-3 feet tall. Each fully-grown leaf is quite large, often 16-18 inches long and over a foot across at the widest part.

The Empress Wu hosta can be grown in plant hardiness zones 3-9. This includes much of the contiguous states except for South Florida, which is just too hot. Parts of California and Texas may also be too dry and hot for this plant to thrive. Hostas require several weeks of winter chilling below 40°F (4°C), in which the plants become dormant and rest before spring.

The Empress Wu hosta was bred by Virginia and Brian Skaggs of Lowell, Indiana, and introduced in 2008. Empress Wu was bred from the large ‘Big John’ hosta.

Empress wu hosta for sale at the garden center
Empress wu hosta plant for sale at the garden center, priced at $39. 99

Choosing a planting location

Empress Wu has particular planting location requirements. They like to live in medium shade, which means you’ll have to find a spot in your garden where they don’t take very much direct sunlight. A spot where they only get a few hours of light early in the morning will do well but know that the plant needs a respite from the sun to thrive.

Hostas grow best in sheltered locations, where the large leaves are protected from harsh sunlight, strong winds, and potentially damaging precipitation like hail. Shade is especially important in the afternoon if you don’t water your hostas often.

In terms of soil, hostas prefer a sandy loam soil enriched with organic compost. A slightly acidic pH is ideal for hostas. If you would like your ‘Empress Wu’ to grow very large, test the soil before planting and consider enriching it with organic matter like homemade compost if necessary.

Finally, because these are large plants, you’ll want to ensure that if you’re planting more than one, you have enough space so they don’t need to compete with one another. They should be planted at least 5-6 feet apart. This seems like a vast expanse when the plants are young, but they will fill out over time. If you like, you can plant annuals in the in-between spots in the first few years.

Here is a video about planting an Empress Wu Hosta

Planting an ‘Empress Wu’

Once you’ve chosen an adequate spot, it’s time to plant your hosta. Start by digging a planting hole twice as wide and just as deep as the root ball of your ‘Empress Wu’ hosta.

Remove the plant from its pot. Gently loosen the roots. Place it in the hole, ensuring it’s at the same depth it was in the pot. Position the base of the plant at the same level as the surrounding soil.

Fill the hole with soil, gently packing it around the roots. Avoid burying the plant deeper than it was previously.

After planting, water the hosta well to settle the soil around the roots. Then apply a layer of mulch around the plant to retain soil moisture and regulate temperature.

Empress wu hosta

Caring for Empress Wu hosta plants

Empress Wu hosta is generally considered to be a low-maintenance perennial. However, there are several things that you can do to protect them from pests and keep them growing at their maximum potential.

Firstly, ‘Empress Wu’ is one of the slower-growing varieties. It will take a few years to reach its full size, so be patient.

Hostas grow naturally in dense forest environments that receive significant rainfall. It’s important to make sure that the soil under their leaves doesn’t dry out. While they can handle dry air just fine, they really tend to struggle when their roots don’t have enough water for any extended length of time.

While hostas are not tolerant of harsh direct sunlight, they can be tolerant of heat when healthy. Most types of hostas can tolerate short heat waves (even in the temperature range around 100°F (38°C), provided they have adequate water and shade.

When it comes to fertilizer, slow-release natural food should be applied about once a year in the spring. In poor soil, you can add in a little bit more in midsummer, but it isn’t generally necessary. Try not to fertilize in late summer or in the fall, as the nutrient boost can lead to soft plant tissue that makes an appealing target for snails and slugs.

It’s also important to trim back any dead leaves on the plant, as the Empress’s huge leaves and shady damp underside tend to attract a lot of hungry slugs, and dead leaves are the perfect place for them to hide. Cut back the whole plant in late autumn after the first frost of the year.

Speaking of slugs, it’s important to be on the lookout for them around your plant. If the Empress gets slugs, they’re likely to spread to other nearby plants as well, so keeping it slug-free will be beneficial for your garden at large. You’ll want to begin this slug monitoring process as soon as the shoots start to grow. Look for slugs on rainy evenings, when they are easiest to collect and dispose of.

Animals such as deer, rabbits, and moose also tend to eat these plants, especially when they’re still small shoots. You can do a few things to keep deer from eating your hostas, including using repellant sprays.

Naming history of the Empress Wu hosta

Native to the areas of China, Korea, Eastern Russia, and Japan, the Empress Wu hosta is named after the only woman ever to rule China, Empress Wu Zetian (Wu Zhao), who is said to have reigned successfully for a period of 40 years, over a thousand years ago.

The genus name hosta comes from the name of an Austrian botanist called Nicholas Thomas Host. However, for about a hundred years, between 1817 and 1905, the genus’s name was changed to the Funkia after the German botanist C.H. Funk.

Mary Jane Duford
Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford is a quintessential Canadian gardener. An engineer by trade, she tends to an ever-expanding collection of plants. In her world, laughter blooms as freely as her flowers, and every plant is raised with a dash of Canadian grit.

Mary Jane is a certified Master Gardener and also holds a Permaculture Design Certificate. She's also a proud mom of three, teaching her little sprouts the crucial difference between a garden friend and foe.

When she's not playing in the dirt, Mary Jane revels in her love for Taylor Swift, Gilmore Girls, ice hockey, and the surprisingly soothing sounds of bluegrass covers of classic hip-hop songs. She invites you to join her garden party, a place where you can share in the joy of growing and where every day is a new opportunity to find the perfect spot for yet another plant.

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