A Regal Tribute to the Father of the American Hosta Society
Vic Santa Lucia registered Hosta 'Alex Summers' in 1989 as a sport of the classic 'Gold Regal'. He named it in honour of Alex J. Summers, first president and co-founder of the American Hosta Society. The foliage is dark green at the centre with exceptionally wide chartreuse-to-gold margins that streak deep into the leaf. It performs reliably across Canadian hardiness zones 3 through 9, making it a natural anchor for woodland and shade borders coast to coast.
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Vibrant Variegation: Dark green, heart-shaped leaves carry wide chartreuse-to-gold margins that often streak dramatically toward the centre for bold contrast.
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Stately Upright Form: The nearly perfect vase-shaped mound adds vertical structure to the shade border and frames smaller companion plants beautifully at its base.
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Exceptional Substance: Thick, heavy-textured foliage holds up well through the Canadian summer and offers natural resistance to slug damage.
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Midsummer Bloom: Sturdy 70 cm (28") scapes rise in July bearing lavender, bell-shaped flowers that attract local pollinators.
| Feature |
Specification |
| Size |
55–60 cm H × 90–100 cm W (22–24" H × 35–39" W) |
| Hardiness Zone |
3–9 |
| Colour |
Dark green centre, wide chartreuse-to-gold margins |
| Light Requirements |
Partial to light shade; morning sun preferred |
Grower's Tip: For the most vivid contrast between the dark green centre and the gold margins, choose a spot with gentle morning sun — deep shade tends to keep the margins more chartreuse than gold. At our nursery in Bécancour, QC, we monitor every 'Alex Summers' as it emerges each spring to confirm the wide, irregular gold margins are fully expressed before shipping. Our True to Type standard means you receive the authentic 'Alex Summers', not a generic gold-margin sport.
