Description of Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd'

Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd' is a big-leaved hosta with deep, cupped foliage that holds rainwater. You may see it called plantain lily 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd'. It suits damp shade and it gives you strong leaf shape from spring until the first hard frosts.

Appearance

Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd' forms a wide clump of thick, puckered leaves. Each leaf curves upwards into a bowl shape, so the undersides often show, which adds texture even when the plant is not flowering. The colour sits in the blue-green range, especially early in the season when the waxy coating is fresh. In midsummer it sends up stems with pale, lavender-tinged flowers, though most people grow it for the foliage.

In a moist spot it can reach about 60 to 70cm tall in leaf, with a spread that can push out towards 90 to 120cm over time. It looks best with space around it so the leaf shape reads clearly. Use it beside ferns, astilbes, and Japanese primroses, or as a calm patch between brighter pond-edge flowers.

Care Guide

Grow Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd' in part shade or shade. Morning sun is fine, and it can take more sun if the soil stays cool and moist. In a bog garden, place it where the ground is damp but not waterlogged. If the crown sits in standing water, it can rot.

• Soil: Deep, humus-rich soil gives the best leaf size. Mix in compost at planting time.
• Water: Keep it evenly moist. In dry spells, soak the root zone rather than splashing the leaves.
• Mulch: A spring mulch helps hold moisture and feeds the plant at the same time.
• Cutting back: After the first frosts, leaves collapse. Cut them off at ground level and clear away debris.
• Division: Split large clumps in spring as shoots start to show. Replant divisions straight away and water well.

Suitability for Bog Garden

Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd' works well in the shadier edge of a bog garden, or in a damp border that runs alongside it. It is a good choice if you have a liner under the bog, because it likes consistent moisture. Site it on the top tier or slope, not in the wettest sump. The thick leaves cope better with slugs than many hostas, so it is a sensible pick near water where slugs are common. If you want one plant that fills a gap and keeps looking neat for months, this one does the job.

FAQ

Why is it called Abiqua Drinking Gourd?
The leaves curl up into deep cups that hold rainwater, which looks like a little bowl.

Can I grow it right on the pond edge?
Yes, if the crown stays above water and the soil is moist, not permanently flooded.

Do slugs eat it?
It has thick leaves so it copes better than many hostas, but young shoots can still get nibbled.