Hosta 'Royal Standard' at Kingwood Center

Kingwood Center is a wonderful public garden in Mansfield, Ohio with several top notch beds of hostas. One glorious bed of ‘Royal Standard’ hosta blooms their heads off from mid-August into September. With over 35,000 registered hostas available, why look back at this vintage variety.

Royal Standard was patented and introduced in 1965 by Wayside Gardens and still remains popular. Its 4 – 5 inch long green leaves are ordinary compared to modern day hosta cultivars. A multi-division clump develops foliage around 18 inches tall and spreading to 4 feet across. White trumpet shaped flowers rise 24 inches tall on leafy scapes in August and are pleasantly fragrant.

Royal Standard grows in a wide array of garden soils, yet it excels in compost rich soils. Two-year established Royal Standard demonstrates good summer heat and drought tolerance in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). 

Morning sunlight followed by light afternoon shade is preferred, but I have seen a terrific bed planted in a gas station island under full day sun, assumedly with regular irrigation.

Plant foliage dies down in the winter. Clumps are easy to divide either in early fall or late spring. Slugs are the principal major pest problem of many hosta cultivar, including ‘Royal Standard’.