The Storied Blue Hosta ‘Halcyon’ Wins Hosta of the Year

'Halcyon' hosta is a multi-award winner with an important place in the history of hosta hybridizing. This hosta represented a breakthrough in breeding when it arose out of a cross between two varieties at a British nursery in the 1960s. 'Halcyon' achieved the breeder's goal of a medium-size hosta with blue leaves, a true novelty in that time. This slug-resistant hosta can be relied upon for long-lasting foliage color. Its genes are in the background of many of the blue hostas that have been developed over the decades since 'Halcyon' arrived.

In 2026, the American Hosta Society (AHS) named 'Halcyon' its Hosta of the Year. This is the first year the AHS has bestowed the Hosta of the Year award; up until 2025, it was administered by the American Hosta Growers Association, which included garden performance, price point and nursery supply in the award criteria. In continuing the award, the AHS has opted to focus solely on garden performance.

Common name: 'Halcyon' hosta

Botanical name: Hosta 'Halcyon'

Origin: The genus Hosta is native to northeast Asia. 'Halcyon' is a hybrid in the Tardiana Group, which comprises plants that arose from a cross between the cultivar 'Tardiflora', a small, narrow-leaved, late-flowering hosta; and the variety Hosta sieboldiana var. elegans, a larger hosta with blue leaves. This cross was performed in the 1960s by British perennial hybridizer Eric Smith, who aimed to create a smaller hosta with blue foliage. 'Halcyon' was one of the original seedlings from this cross.

Related: Previous blue-leaved Hostas of the Year include 'Skywriter' (2025) and 'Neptune' (2023).

Flowers: Tubular light purple flowers bloom just above the foliage on upright stalks in midsummer.

Foliage: 'Halcyon' hosta has thick, broad leaves with a corrugated texture and a pronounced point at the tip. The color is a frosty blue that doesn't fade to green as early as some blue hostas do.

Size and habit: This is a medium-size hosta reaching about two feet tall and three to four feet wide at maturity, with a mounded habit. It is a less vigorous hosta that will take a number of years to reach its full size, but it is nevertheless a healthy and long-lived plant.

Related: For a more petite hosta, check out prior Hostas of the Year 'Blue Mouse Ears' (2008) and 'Mini Skirt' (2024).

Exposure: Part shade, filtered light, shade

How to grow it: Being a blue-leaved hosta, 'Halcyon' does not tolerate harsh, hot summer sun. Site it where it will receive mostly shade. It should tolerate dappled light or a couple hours of early-morning sun. Bleached-looking splotches on the foliage will indicate sun scald and the need for a shadier position. Like all hostas, this hybrid will reach its full potential in fertile, well-drained soil that's rich in organic matter. Hostas prefer about an inch a week of water, although once established they can hold up during dry spells. USDA Zones 3–9.

Related: Get ideas for what to plant with your favorite hosta.

Image courtesy of Walters Gardens