Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd' | Blue Cupped Giant Slug-Resistant Hosta

Description

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.

  • Leaf Shape and Texture: Nearly round with a cordate base, intensely corrugated and puckered with a heavy seersucker texture — leaves cup so deeply they hold small pools of water after summer rain.
  • Leaf Colour: Dark blue-green with a matte, waxy bloom on top; powdery grey glaucous underside creates a striking two-tone contrast.
  • Mature Size: 45–60 cm high × 90–120 cm wide (18–24 in × 36–48 in) — a bold, large clump with thick leaf substance and exceptional slug resistance.
  • Flowers: Near-white, bell-shaped blooms appear on sturdy scapes in midsummer, rising cleanly above the dramatic foliage canopy.
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: Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd' handles Canadian winters reliably from Zone 3 through 9. Avoid afternoon sun to preserve the waxy blue bloom — direct heat melts the coating and dulls the colour to plain green. We grow it at our nursery in Bécancour, QC, where we monitor the characteristic gourd-shaped cupping each spring to confirm every plant is True to Type before it leaves Bécancour, QC.

Product form

$18.00

    • Next Availability Date: Now
    • Mature Height: 24" (60.96 cm)
    • Mature Spread: 46" (116.84 cm)
    • Seasonal Leaf Change: blue>blue-green
    • Hybridizer: Walden West
    • Hybridizer (List 2):
    • AHS Registration Year: 1989
    • Canada Breeders' Rights No. / Expiry:
    • US Patent No. / Expiry:
    • Collection: Hosta of the Year Collection (AHGA-2014) / Reference Only Collection
    • Photo Credit:
    • Date of Last Update: September 2026
    • Waiting List for this Variety:

    Description

    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.

    • Leaf Shape and Texture: Nearly round with a cordate base, intensely corrugated and puckered with a heavy seersucker texture — leaves cup so deeply they hold small pools of water after summer rain.
    • Leaf Colour: Dark blue-green with a matte, waxy bloom on top; powdery grey glaucous underside creates a striking two-tone contrast.
    • Mature Size: 45–60 cm high × 90–120 cm wide (18–24 in × 36–48 in) — a bold, large clump with thick leaf substance and exceptional slug resistance.
    • Flowers: Near-white, bell-shaped blooms appear on sturdy scapes in midsummer, rising cleanly above the dramatic foliage canopy.
    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: Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd' handles Canadian winters reliably from Zone 3 through 9. Avoid afternoon sun to preserve the waxy blue bloom — direct heat melts the coating and dulls the colour to plain green. We grow it at our nursery in Bécancour, QC, where we monitor the characteristic gourd-shaped cupping each spring to confirm every plant is True to Type before it leaves Bécancour, QC.

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