A Living Sculpture of Deep Blue Cups for the Shade Garden
Dr. Charles Purtymun registered Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd' in 1989. He crossed Tokudama with sieboldiana to produce its signature deeply cupped, round leaves. Those leaves cup so deeply they hold small pools of water after summer rain. Hardy from zones 3 to 9, it performs reliably in Canadian shade gardens nationwide. The American Hosta Growers Association named it Hosta of the Year in 2014.
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Extraordinary Deep Cupping: The nearly round leaves cup up to 10 cm deep, often revealing a powdery grey underside that contrasts beautifully with the dark upper surface.
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Heavy Seersucker Texture: Intensely corrugated and puckered foliage adds a rugged, leathery dimension that catches both light and shadow throughout the season.
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Superior Slug Resistance: Exceptionally thick leaf substance makes this one of the most resilient hostas against common garden pests.
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Rich Blue-Green Colour: A dark blue-green with a matte, waxy bloom provides a sophisticated backdrop for near-white, bell-shaped flowers in midsummer.
| Feature |
Specification |
| Size (H × W) |
45–60 cm × 90–120 cm (18–24" × 36–48") |
| Hardiness Zone |
3–9 |
| Colour |
Dark blue-green with near-white flowers |
| Light Requirements |
Partial to full shade |
Grower's Tip: Avoid afternoon sun to preserve the waxy blue bloom — direct heat melts the coating and dulls the colour to plain green. We monitor the characteristic gourd-shaped cupping at our Bécancour trial fields each spring to confirm every plant is True to Type before it ships.
