Our 100th Blog .. Looks Ahead to 2026 Hosta Trends

John Plant
3 days ago
3 min read

May I, at this time of year, as it is my last blog before the 25th December......Wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

This is a very happy time for me. The realisation that I have written 100 blogs, on a wide range of Hosta related topics over the past couple of years. I do seem to have covered a lots and it has been a great learning opportunity . I hope you have found them useful?

Over the course I am looking forward to covering more topics over the forth coming year. I will endeavour to try and keep them relevant and interesting.

It is difficult to pin down forthcoming trends for 2026. We have had Hostas with streaks in their leaf colouring. Still in its infancy, and still difficult to find in numbers and not cheap, just yet.

We have had a great selection of red stemmed Hostas recently. Red petioles is something many Hybridisers have been developing over the past few years Therefore they are now more readily available.

As well as these, we have seen the introduction of many new yellow-leaved varieties on the market recently. Many of which seem to be proving very popular.

Many of these can be attributed to Tissue Culture development, Which has been around for a number of years, but is becoming far more sophisticated as technology lends a hand.

Tissue Culture

Hosta tissue culture trends include mass propagation, increasing use of manual division for rare types, advances in automation, emphasis on virus-free plants, and ongoing hybridisation for new traits. It’s just a high-tech way of producing Hostas.

What is the impact on the market

These developments affect how easily gardeners can obtain Hostas, as well as their cost and quality. Common varieties tend to be accessible and reasonably priced thanks to effective tissue culture propagation, whereas newly introduced or rare types typically begin as costly divisions. The growing emphasis on disease-free plants and innovative genetics is likely to result in a broader and healthier selection of Hostas in the coming years.

Efforts continue to streamline acclimatising tissue-cultured plantlets for greenhouse and garden conditions. Hardening plants from lab to outdoor environments is essential for strong survival and healthy growth.

General observations

Tissue culture enables the efficient propagation of Hostas from a single specimen, ensuring a reliable supply of both best-selling and specialty varieties.

By using tissue culture, we can precisely eliminate pathogens and grow robust, healthy plants, ensuring a higher-quality gardening experience for you.

To facilitate the introduction of new and rare Hosta varieties, including those that present greater challenges for propagation via traditional methods.

Tissue culture is a very specialist thing and needs lots of expensive equipment and specialist, totally sterile, conditions. It is not easy for the amateur propagator.

The big question that has circulated around the Hosta world since the beginning of TC is, "Are tissue cultured plants as good as those divided from a plant growing in the ground?" The answer is a resounding, YES! Just like taking a knife and cutting a part of a Hosta crown off to make a division, TC plants are exactly the same as the mother plant.

Tissue Culture requires a high level of investment in equipment and highly trained staff. Therefore, it is not economically viable for every nursery. It is usually more cost effective for small nurseries or growers to propagate a plant by some of the older, low-tech methods which do a good job at a much lower cost.

Tissue Culture does seem to be the trend for the future. However, we will carry on the old-fashioned way with splitting Hostas. It’s still very therapeutic.

As for the Hosta varieties that may trend in the future, it will depend on supply a demand. The marketplace will have a number of new Hostas with different traits, but whether you want them will dictate how well they sell. What has been noticeable in the past few years is the lack of introduction of white centred Hostas. This maybe because they are a little more difficult to grow? Perhaps if we shout loud enough, we can form our own trend.

Seasons Greetings, to all you Fellow Hosta Lovers.

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