Gardening Mollusks Perennials

400 Slug-Resistant Hostas for Laidback Gardeners

by Larry Hodgson
Comments 4

What? You didn’t know that not all hostas are devoured by slugs? Discover more than 400 fabulous mollusk-resistant hostas here!

By Larry Hodgson

Thin-leaved hosta with holes in the leaves.
Thin-leaved hosta suffering slug damage. Photo: lenschanger, depositphotos

Many gardeners are so used to hosta leaves being eaten alive by slugs that:

1) they just assume their hostas need constant slug control and apply the same

or

2) have given up on hostas forever.

Yet, there are now—and have been for many decades (think of “golden oldies” like Hosta sieboldiana elegans [1905] and ‘Frances Williams’ [1936]) — hostas that essentially take care of themselves in that respect. In fact, they almost seem to repulse slugs and snails.

Hosta with thick corrugat4d leaves, green above, blue below.
Hostas with thick leaves or leaves covered in bloom are rarely bothered by slugs. Photo: eto-pro-xii.yandex.ru, depositphotos

Often this is due to the white waxy bloom that gives so many hostas their bluish leaf coloration, but which slugs and snails don’t appreciate. (Would you like white waxy powder sprinkled on your salad?) Plus, they don’t seem to appreciate hostas with thick or corrugated leaves their tiny slug mouths apparently can’t chew their way through.

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ with tiny blue-green heart-shapede leaves.
Itsy-bitsy Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ is perfectly slug resistant. Photo: www.perennialresource.com.

One theory I’ve heard floated around is that slugs avoid big hostas and stick to smaller ones and, true enough, most big hostas have those thick leaves slugs hate. However, you’ll discover there many medium and even tiny hostas that slugs also ignore. Think of Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’—amazingly little and yet so very slug resistant!—and its various selections, all with the word “mouse” in their cultivar name.

How to Recognize a Slug-Resistant Hosta

If you’re out shopping for hostas, why even look at anything but slug-resistant ones? Bringing home a slug-sensitive hosta really doesn’t make any sense, does it? But how can you recognize a slug-resistant one?

Start by looking for hostas with no damage in a plant nursery where others are Swiss cheese. Or feeling the leaves. Some are literally as thick as cardboard, while others—the “slug-fodder hostas”!—have leaves so thin they would put copy paper to shame.

Plastic hosta label sharing slug resistance.
Surprisingly few hosta labels mention their resistance to slugs, although this one does. Photo: Little Prince Plants

Occasionally, too, the label tells you … but this is surprisingly rare. (You’d think it would be featured with a blinking red light!)

Sometimes even the cultivar name practically tells you. I mean, aren’t hostas like ‘Bulletproof’, ‘Crinkled Leather’ and ‘Lederhosen’ pretty clear about their most exciting characteristic?

Even better is to go to (or order from) a hosta nursery. They know their plants and will point you to the best ones. And there are lists on hosta websites as well.

The next time you go to a garden center, why not bring the list below along with you. It includes over 400 slug-resistant hostas … and, believe it or not, that only scrapes the surface of the possibilities! There are many, many more!

Note that all cultivars listed are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8.

400 Slug-Resistant Hostas

Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’, with huge blue green leaevs forming a cup.
Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’
  2. Hosta ‘Abundant Love’
  3. Hosta ‘Age of Gold’
  4. Hosta ‘Alex Summers’
  5. Hosta ‘All that Jazz’
  6. Hosta ‘Alvatine Taylor’
  7. Hosta ‘American Halo’
  8. Hosta ‘American King of the Woods’
  9. Hosta ‘American Sweetheart’
  10. Hosta ‘Amos’
  11. Hosta ‘Ann Kulpa’
  12. Hosta ‘Apple Candy’
  13. Hosta ‘Appletini’
  14. Hosta ‘Aspen Gold’
  15. Hosta ‘Aurora Borealis’
Hosta ‘Autumn Frost’, with yellow leaves and blue green center.
Hosta ‘Autumn Frost’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Autumn Frost’
  2. Hosta ‘Azure Cherub’
  3. Hosta ‘Band of Gold’
  4. Hosta ‘Barbara Ann’
  5. Hosta ‘Battle Star’
  6. Hosta ‘Beach Boy’
  7. Hosta ‘Beautiful Dreamer’
  8. Hosta ‘Bedazzled’
  9. Hosta ‘Ben Vernooij’
  10. Hosta ‘Betcher’s Blue’
  11. Hosta ‘Beyond Glory’
  12. Hosta ‘Big Bubba’
  13. Hosta ‘Big Daddy’
  14. Hosta ‘Big Foot’
  15. Hosta ‘Big Mama’
  16. Hosta ‘Black Hills’
  17. Hosta ‘Blue Angel’
  18. Hosta ‘Blue Arrow’
  19. Hosta ‘Blue Clown’
  20. Hosta ‘Blue Danube’
  21. Hosta ‘Blue Diamond’
  22. Hosta ‘Blue Dimples’
  23. Hosta ‘Blue Hawaii’
  24. Hosta ‘Blue Ice’
Hosta ‘Blue Ivory’, ivory leaves with blue splotche in center.
Hosta ‘Blue Ivory’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Blue Ivory’
  2. Hosta ‘Blue Lettuce’
  3. Hosta ‘Blue Mammoth’
  4. Hosta ‘Blue Moon’
  5. Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’
  6. Hosta ‘Blue Sensation’
  7. Hosta ‘Blue Shadows’
  8. Hosta ‘Blue Skin’
  9. Hosta ‘Blue Tooth’
  10. Hosta ‘Blue Umbrellas’
  11. Hosta ‘Blue Wedgwood’
  12. Hosta ‘Blueberry Cobbler’
  13. Hosta ‘Blueberry Muffin’
  14. Hosta ‘Blueberry Waffles’
  15. Hosta ‘Bold Ruffles’
  16. Hosta ‘Bobbie Sue’
  17. Hosta ‘Bobcat’
  18. Hosta ‘Boondocks’
  19. Hosta ‘Bridal Path’
  20. Hosta ‘Bright Glow’
  21. Hosta ‘Bright Lights’
  22. Hosta ‘Broadway’
  23. Hosta ‘Brother Ronald’
Hosta ‘Brother Stefan’, huge apple green leaves with yellow center.
Hosta ‘Brother Stefan’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Brother Stefan’
  2. Hosta ‘Brutus’
  3. Hosta ‘Bulletproof’
  4. Hosta ‘Bunchoko’
  5. Hosta ‘Camelot’
  6. Hosta ‘Canadian Shield’
  7. Hosta ‘Camelot’
  8. Hosta ‘Candy Kisses’
  9. Hosta ‘Catherine’
  10. Hosta ‘Cape Cod’
  11. Hosta ‘Capitan Kirk’
  12. Hosta ‘Celtic Uplands’
  13. Hosta ‘Chanticleer’
  14. Hosta ‘Cherry Red’
  15. Hosta ‘Chief Sitting Bull’
  16. Hosta ‘Chodai Ginyo’
  17. Hosta ‘Christmas Tree’
  18. Hosta ‘Church Mouse’
  19. Hosta ‘City Lights’
  20. Hosta ‘Climax’
  21. Hosta ‘Cloudburst’
Hosta ‘Coast to Coast’ with large chartreuse yellow leaves, deep veins.
Hosta ‘Coast to Coast’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Coast to Coast’
  2. Hosta ‘Coastal Treasure’
  3. Hosta ‘Cool As a Cucumber’
  4. Hosta ‘Cool Dreams’
  5. Hosta ‘Cranberry Wine’
  6. Hosta ‘Crinkled Leather’
  7. Hosta ‘Crusader’
  8. Hosta ‘Cup of Joy’
  9. Hosta ‘Curly Fries’
  10. Hosta ‘Cutting Edge’
  11. Hosta ‘Dahlonega’
  12. Hosta ‘Dancing Mouse’
  13. Hosta ‘Dancing With Dragons’
  14. Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’
  15. Hosta ‘Deep Blue Sea’
  16. Hosta ‘Deep Waters’
  17. Hosta ‘Devon Green’
  18. Hosta ‘Dew Drop’
  19. Hosta ‘Diamond Lake’
  20. Hosta ‘Diana Remembered’
  21. Hosta ‘Dick Ward’
  22. Hosta ‘Dinner Mint’
  23. Hosta ‘Dixie Chick’
  24. Hosta ‘Dixie Chick Green’
  25. Hosta ‘Dixie Chickadee’
  26. Hosta ‘Dixie Cups’
  27. Hosta ‘Dorset Blue’
  28. Hosta ‘Dream Queen’
Hosta ‘Dream Weaver’, with large green leaves, yellow center.
Hosta ‘Dream Weaver’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Dream Weaver’
  2. Hosta ‘Earth Angel’
  3. Hosta ‘Earthquake’
  4. Hosta ‘El Niño’
  5. Hosta ‘Empress Wu’
  6. Hosta ‘Endearing Endeavor’
  7. Hosta ‘Epiphany’
  8. Hosta ‘Everlasting Love’
  9. Hosta ‘Fandango’
  10. Hosta ‘Feel the Sky’
  11. Hosta ‘Final Summation’
  12. Hosta ‘Final Victory’
  13. Hosta ‘Fire and Ice’
  14. Hosta ‘Firn Line’
  15. Hosta ‘First Frost’
  16. Hosta ‘Fleet Week’
  17. Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’
  18. Hosta ‘Fragrant Bouquet’
  19. Hosta ‘Fragrant Queen’
  20. Hosta ‘Frances Williams’
  21. Hosta ‘Frank Lloyd Wright’
  22. Hosta ‘Frisian Waving Steel’
  23. Hosta ‘Frost Giant’
  24. Hosta ‘Frosted Dimples’
  25. Hosta ‘Funky Monkey’
  26. Hosta ‘Funny Bones’
  27. Hosta ‘Funny Mouse’
  28. Hosta ‘Gabriel’s Wing’
  29. Hosta ‘Garden Treasure’
  30. Hosta ‘Gentle Giant’
  31. Hosta ‘Ginrei’
  32. Hosta ‘Glen Triumph’
  33. Hosta ‘Glory Hallelujah’
  34. Hosta ‘Gold Edger’
  35. Hosta ‘Golden Gate’
  36. Hosta ‘Golden Meadows’
  37. Hosta ‘Golden Needles’
  38. Hosta ‘Golden Teacup’
  39. Hosta ‘Gone With the Wind’
  40. Hosta ‘Goober’
  41. Hosta ‘Goodness Gracious’
  42. Hosta ‘Gooseberry Sundae’
  43. Hosta ‘Grand Canyon’
  44. Hosta ‘Grand Marquee’
  45. Hosta ‘Grand Master’
  46. Hosta ‘Grand Rapids’
  47. Hosta ‘Grand Tiara’
  48. Hosta ‘Gray Cole’
  49. Hosta ‘Great Arrival’
  50. Hosta ‘Great Escape’
  51. Hosta ‘Great Expectations’
  52. Hosta ‘Green Fountains’
  53. Hosta ‘Guardian Angel’
  54. Hosta ‘Hadspen Blue’
  55. Hosta ‘Halcyon’
  56. Hosta ‘Hand’s Up’
Hosta ‘Hans’, with large yellow splotch on green leaves.
Hosta ‘Hans’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Hans’
  2. Hosta ‘Hawaiian Luau’
  3. Hosta ‘Heather Hill’
  4. Hosta ‘Her Eyes Were Blue’
  5. Hosta ‘High Tide’
  6. Hosta ‘Hippodrome’
  7. Hosta ‘Holar Black Swan’
  8. Hosta ‘Holar Crimson Grape’
  9. Hosta ‘Holar Ice Empress’
  10. Hosta ‘Holar Purple Glacier’
  11. Hosta ‘Holar Red Spear’
  12. Hosta ‘Hope Springs Eternal’
  13. Hosta ‘Hot Air Balloon’
  14. Hosta ‘Hovercraft’
  15. Hosta ‘Hudson Bay’
Hosta ‘Humpback Whale’ with large blue leaves and deen veins.
Hosta ‘Humpback Whale’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Humpback Whale’
  2. Hosta ‘I Dream of Jeanne’
  3. Hosta ‘Ice Prancer’
  4. Hosta ‘Indigo’
  5. Hosta ‘Inniswood’
  6. Hosta ‘Inspire Greatness’
  7. Hosta ‘Ivory Coast’
  8. Hosta ‘Jack Berry’
  9. Hosta ‘Jack of Diamonds’
  10. Hosta ‘Janet’
  11. Hosta ‘Jessica Alba’
  12. Hosta ‘Jet Black’
  13. Hosta ‘Jetstream’
  14. Hosta ‘Jimmy Crack Corn’
  15. Hosta ‘Joy Ride’
  16. Hosta ‘June’
  17. Hosta ‘June Fever’
  18. Hosta ‘June Spirit’
  19. Hosta ‘Jurassic Park’
  20. Hosta ‘Just So’
  21. Hosta ‘Katie Q’
  22. Hosta ‘Kempen Magenta Blue’
  23. Hosta ‘Kim’
  24. Hosta ‘King of Spades’
  25. Hosta ‘King Tut’
  26. Hosta ‘Kingsize’
  27. Hosta ‘Komodo Dragon’
  28. Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’
  29. Hosta ‘Lakeside Banana Bay’
  1. Hosta ‘Lakeside Circle O’
  2. Hosta ‘Lakeside Contender’
  3. Hosta ‘Lakeside Cupcake’
  4. Hosta ‘Lakeside Iron Man’
  5. Hosta ‘Lakeside Lollipop’
  6. Hosta ‘Lakeside Maverick’
  7. Hosta ‘Lakeside Paisley Print’
  8. Hosta ‘Lakeside Rhapsody’
  9. Hosta ‘Lakeside Ring Master’
  10. Hosta ‘Last Dance’
  11. Hosta ‘Leading Lady’
  12. Hosta ‘Leather Sheen’
  13. Hosta ‘Lederhosen’
  14. Hosta ‘Lemon Meringue’
Hosta ‘Liberty’, with creamy yellow leaves and blue green center.
Hosta ‘Liberty’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Liberty’
  2. Hosta ‘Lily Blue Eyes’
  3. Hosta ‘Little Hobber’
  4. Hosta ‘Looking Great’
  5. Hosta ‘Lothar the Great’
  6. Hosta ‘Love Pat’
  7. Hosta ‘Lucky Mouse’
  8. Hosta ‘Lucky Number’
  9. Hosta ‘Lucy Vitols’
  10. Hosta ‘Magic Island’
  11. Hosta ‘Magical Mouse Ears’
  12. Hosta ‘Majesty’
  13. Hosta ‘Mango Lettuce’
  14. Hosta ‘Mango Tango’
  15. Hosta ‘Margie’s Angel’
  16. Hosta ‘Marilyn Monroe’
  17. Hosta ‘Maruba Iwa’
  18. Hosta ‘Maui Buttercups’
  19. Hosta ‘Memphis Blue’
  20. Hosta ‘Metallic Sheen’
  21. Hosta ‘Midas Touch’
  22. Hosta ‘Midnight at the Oasis’
  23. Hosta ‘Midwest Magic’
Hosta ‘Mighty Mouse’ with tiny heart-shaped leaves, blue green with creamy yellow border.
Hosta ‘Mighty Mouse’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Mighty Mouse’
  2. Hosta ‘Miki’
  3. Hosta ‘Mildred Seaver’
  4. Hosta ‘Millenium’
  5. Hosta ‘Millies Memoirs’
  6. Hosta ‘Mini Skirt’
  7. Hosta ‘Minke’
  8. Hosta ‘Minnesota Wild’
  9. Hosta ‘Minuteman’
  10. Hosta ‘Miss America’
  11. Hosta ‘Mister Watson’
  12. Hosta ‘Monsoon’
  13. Hosta ‘Monster Ears’
  14. Hosta ‘Moody Blues’
  15. Hosta ‘Moonlight Sonata’
  16. Hosta ‘Morning Star’
  17. Hosta ‘Mount Tom’
  18. Hosta ‘Mouse Capades’
  19. Hosta ‘Mystic Star’
  20. Hosta ‘Nate the Great’
Hosta ‘Neptune’ with pointed blue green leaves, unddulating border.
Hosta ‘Neptune’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Neptune’
  2. Hosta ‘Niagara Falls’
  3. Hosta ‘Northern Exposure’
  4. Hosta ‘October Sky’
  5. Hosta ‘Oh Cindy’
  6. Hosta ‘Olive Bailey Langdon’
  7. Hosta ‘Olympic Twilight’
  8. Hosta ‘One Man’s Treasure’
  9. Hosta ‘Orange Star’
  10. Hosta ‘Orion’s Belt’
  11. Hosta ‘Osprey’
  12. Hosta ‘Paradigm’
  13. Hosta ‘Paradise Sandstorm’
  14. Hosta ‘Parasol’
  15. Hosta ‘Parisian Silk’
  16. Hosta ‘Party Popper’
  17. Hosta ‘Pathfinder’
Hosta ‘Patriot’, green leaf, white border.
Hosta ‘Patriot’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Patriot’
  2. Hosta ‘Paul’s Glory’
  3. Hosta ‘Peace and Quiet’
  4. Hosta ‘Peacock Feathers’
  5. Hosta ‘Peppermint Twist’
  6. Hosta ‘Pewter Goblet’
  7. Hosta ‘Pewterware’
  8. Hosta ‘Phoenix’
  9. Hosta ‘Picasso’
  10. Hosta ‘Piedmont Gold’
  11. Hosta ‘Pineapple Poll’
  12. Hosta ‘Pizzazz’
  13. Hosta ‘Plum Creek’
  14. Hosta ‘Plum Delicious’
  15. Hosta ‘Plum Pudding’
  16. Hosta ‘Pocketful of Sunshine’
  17. Hosta ‘Popcorn’
  18. Hosta ‘Powder Blue’
  19. Hosta ‘Prairie Sky’
  20. Hosta ‘Praying Hands’
  21. Hosta ‘Prima Donna’
  22. Hosta ‘Pull of the Moon’
  23. Hosta ‘Punky’
  24. Hosta ‘Purple Verticulated Elf’
  25. Hosta ‘Queen of the Seas’
Hosta ‘Rainbow’s End’, medium green leaves striped in yellow.
Hosta ‘Rainbow’s End’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Rainbow’s End’
  2. Hosta ‘Rainforest Sunrise’
  3. Hosta ‘Red Wine Fries’
  4. Hosta ‘Reflected Glory’
  5. Hosta ‘Reflections’
  6. Hosta ‘Regal Splendor’
  7. Hosta ‘Reptilian’
  8. Hosta ‘Reversed’
  9. Hosta ‘Revolution’
  10. Hosta ‘Ripped’
  11. Hosta ‘Riptide’
  12. Hosta ‘Rising Sun’
  13. Hosta ‘Robert Frost’
  14. Hosta ‘Rock and Roll’
  15. Hosta ‘Roseann Walter’
  16. Hosta ‘Rowan My Boat’
  17. Hosta ‘Royal Standard’
  18. Hosta ‘Ruffled Mouse Ears’
  19. Hosta ‘Ruffles n Ridges’
  20. Hosta ‘Russell Lee’
  21. Hosta ‘Sagae’
  22. Hosta ‘Sapphire Pillows’
  23. Hosta ‘Scallion Pancakes’
  24. Hosta ‘School Mouse’
  25. Hosta ‘Sea Dream’
  26. Hosta ‘Sea Hero’
  27. Hosta ‘Sea Lotus Leaf’
  28. Hosta ‘Sea Sapphire’
  29. Hosta ‘Seducer’
  30. Hosta ‘Sentimental Journey’
  31. Hosta ‘September Sun’
  32. Hosta ‘Sharp Dressed’
  33. Hosta ‘Sherborne’
  34. Hosta sieboldiana
  35. Hosta sieboldiana elegans
  36. Hosta sieboldiana ‘Kakama Sunset’
  37. Hosta ‘Silk Road’
Hosta ‘Silly String’ with grasslike narrow, undullatin, silver gray leaves.
Hosta ‘Silly String’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Silly String’
  2. Hosta ‘Silver Bowl’
  3. Hosta ‘Silver Lode’
  4. Hosta ‘Silver Mist’
  5. Hosta ‘Silver Moon’
  6. Hosta ‘Silver Serenity’
  7. Hosta ‘Silver Tongued Devil’
  8. Hosta ‘Sister Act’
  9. Hosta ‘Sky Dancer’
  10. Hosta ‘Skylight’
  11. Hosta ‘Sleeping Beauty’
  12. Hosta ‘Smash Hit’
  13. Hosta ‘Smiling Mouse’
  14. Hosta ‘Smoke Signals’
  15. Hosta ‘Snow Cap’
  16. Hosta ‘Snow Cone’
  17. Hosta ‘Snowy Lake’
  18. Hosta ‘Soul Shine’
  19. Hosta ‘Space Odyssey’
  20. Hosta ‘Sparkler’
Hosta ‘Spartacus’ with large blue-green leaves and pale green edge.
Hosta ‘Spartacus’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Spartacus’
  2. Hosta ‘Spellbound’
  3. Hosta ‘Spilt Milk’
  4. Hosta ‘Spring Ghost’
  5. Hosta ‘Spring Luau’
  6. Hosta ‘St. Paul’
  7. Hosta ‘Stag’s Leap’
  8. Hosta ‘Stand By Me’
  9. Hosta ‘Stepping Out’
  10. Hosta ‘Strawberry Surprise’
  11. Hosta ‘Sugar Cookie’
  12. Hosta ‘Sugar Plum’
  13. Hosta ‘Sultana’
  14. Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’
  15. Hosta ‘Summer Lovin’
  16. Hosta ‘Sun Mouse’
  17. Hosta ‘Sun Power’
  18. Hosta ‘Sunset Grooves’
  19. Hosta ‘Super Nova’
  20. Hosta ‘T N T’
  21. Hosta ‘T Rex’
  22. Hosta ‘Tears in Heaven’
  23. Hosta ‘Tenryu’
  24. Hosta ‘Terms of Endearment’
  25. Hosta ‘Thunderbolt’
  26. Hosta ‘Timeless Energy’
  27. Hosta ‘Tiny Gems’
  28. Hosta ‘Titanium’
  29. Hosta tokudama
  30. Hosta tokudama ‘Aureonebulosa’
  31. Hosta tokudama ‘Flavocircinalis’
  32. Hosta ‘Tootie Mae’
  33. Hosta ‘Touch of Class’
  34. Hosta ‘Twin Cities’
  35. Hosta ‘Twinkle Little Star’
  36. Hosta ‘Twist Tie’
  37. Hosta ‘Valley’s Himitsu’
  38. Hosta ‘Valley’s Rodeo’
  39. Hosta ‘Van Wade’
  40. Hosta ‘Victory’
  41. Hosta ‘Victory Lap’
  42. Hosta ‘Volcano Island’
  43. Hosta ‘War Paint’
  44. Hosta ‘Waterslide’
  45. Hosta ‘Waukon Water’
  46. Hosta ‘Wheee!’
  47. Hosta ‘Whirling Dervish’
  48. Hosta ‘Whirlwind Flame’
  49. Hosta ‘Wildest Dreams’
Hosta ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ with undulating blue leaves.
Hosta ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’
Photo: www.perennialresource.com
  1. Hosta ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’
  2. Hosta ‘World Cup’
  3. Hosta ‘Wu-La-La’
  4. Hosta ‘Wylde Green Cream’
  5. Hosta ‘Zepplin’
  6. Hosta ‘Zero Sum’
  7. Hosta ‘Zounds’

Deer-Resistant Hostas?

Deer in a garden.
Deer love hostas. Photo: Joe Haupt, Flickr

Sorry to disappoint you, but deer have bigger teeth and a much bigger appetite than slugs and are not put off by either thick leaves or waxy bloom. If you have deer, you probably shouldn’t be planting hostas!

The only deer-resistant hosta I know of is a plastic one!

Article based on one appearing in this blog on September 14, 2015.

Initial photo: meissnerlandscape.com, pngitem.com & bertoszig, depositphotos, montage: laidbackgardener.blog

4 comments on “400 Slug-Resistant Hostas for Laidback Gardeners”

  1. Pingback: Conifer Needles Against Slugs - Laidback Gardener

  2. tonytomeo
    January 22, 2022

    Okay, almost immediately after making fun of the need for hostas that are unappealing to mollusks, . . . ‘it’ happened. I am too embarrassed to say what ‘it’ is, but you can imagine. Incidentally, only one of the few new hosta cultivars is not a cultivar that is unappealing to mollusks, and there are only about six of them, . . . and they should recover. Really, they have no business trying to grow in January anyway. I am not certain if they were trying to grow, or if they just put up those weird conical shoots that appear before the foliage, since they were chewed back. The others have only those weird conical shoots, which should not open for another month or month and a half. (It seems like a weird technique for them to put up shoots that can get trampled so long before the foliage emerges, but that is how they work here. This is not the best climate for them.) Well, now I know why the nursery provides hostas that are resistant to mollusks. Such damage is so rare where the hostas are that I doubt it will happen again.

    Reply
  3. Elaine
    January 20, 2022

    Wow that is quite the list. Luckily in our dry climate hostas aren’t the slug magnets they are elsewhere. Now if there was a list of deer resistant hostas. Hmmm…

    Reply
  4. Susan Elgie
    January 20, 2022

    Thank you for this–just what I needed!

    Reply

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