What to Plant with Hosta – 18 Beautiful Companion Plants

Hostas are one of the most popular perennials for shady gardens With their big, bold leaves and tolerance for shade, hostas provide excellent structure, texture, and color But hostas really shine when planted with companion plants that complement their features.

The right companion plants can turn a hosta planting into a showstopper. They add visual interest with contrasting shapes, sizes, and colors. Some provide seasonal blooms when hostas are not in flower. Others help attract pollinators or repel pests.

By thoughtfully combining hostas with other plants, you can create stunning, multi-layered garden beds that look fantastic all season Here are 18 of the best companion plants to grow with hostas

Best Perennials & Annuals to Plant with Hosta

1. Astilbe

Delicate, feathery plumes of astilbe make the perfect contrast to broad hosta leaves. Astilbe adds fine texture and airy vertical structure. Blooming in summer, astilbe also lengthens the season of interest. The flowers come in shades of white, pink, red, or purple. Astilbe thrives in the same conditions as hosta – partial to full shade and consistently moist soil. It makes a great companion for hosta in borders, mass plantings, and along streams or ponds.

2. Coral Bells (Heuchera)

Another excellent foliage companion for hostas is coral bells. The ruffled leaves come in a huge range of colors like lime green, burgundy, and variegated patterns. Coral bells stay compact, reaching just 8-18 inches tall, making them ideal to plant in front of larger hosta varieties. Combine them in containers, borders and woodland gardens. Coral bells bloom with tiny bell-shaped flowers, but they’re grown primarily for their colorful leaves.

3. Ferns

Ferns are a match made in heaven for hostas. Their lacy, delicate foliage provides the perfect soft contrast to bold hosta leaves. Options like autumn fern, Christmas fern, and Japanese painted fern add texture and grace. For the best results, choose ferns with similar cultural needs as hostas. Plant them together in shady garden beds and borders, allowing the feathery fronds to mingle and intertwine.

4. Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

Lungwort is a lovely old-fashioned spring bloomer that thrives in shade. Clusters of purple, pink, blue or white bell-shaped flowers appear on the plants in early spring, just before hostas emerge. After flowering, lungwort displays attractive foliage. The leaves are green with distinctive silver spots, turning solid green in summer. Lungwort spreads readily to form a dense groundcover, making it ideal to grow as a carpet beneath hostas.

5. Bugleweed (Ajuga)

For an easy, fast-spreading ground cover, bugleweed is a great choice to plant under hostas. Available in shades of green, purple, burgundy, and variegated forms, bugleweed adds color at ground level. Short spikes of blue flowers appear in spring. Bugleweed thrives in moist, well-drained soil and tolerates full shade. Once established, it requires little care and helps suppress weeds.

6. Deadnettle (Lamium)

Another good blooming groundcover for hostas is deadnettle. Also called spotted deadnettle, this plant produces clusters of pink or white flowers in spring above green, silver, or variegated leaves. Deadnettle spreads readily to form a thick carpet beneath hostas and other larger plants. There are many attractive varieties to choose from like ‘White Nancy’ and ‘Pink Pewter’. Deadnettle thrives in partial sun to full shade and moist soil.

7. Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla)

Siberian bugloss offers both early season blooms and attractive foliage to complement hostas. Clusters of small blue flowers resembling forget-me-nots appear in spring. After flowering, Siberian bugloss displays large heart-shaped leaves. Foliage comes in green and variegated forms, like the popular ‘Jack Frost’. Siberian bugloss grows 12-18 inches tall and spreads steadily. Use it in borders or woodland gardens to underplant hostas.

8. Cranesbill Geranium

Hardy geraniums like Rozanne or Johnson’s Blue work beautifully with hostas. Sometimes called cranesbill, these perennials bloom from late spring to fall with saucer-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple, blue, or white. The mounding plants reach 12-18 inches tall. Their lobed, scalloped foliage comes in various shades of green, adding texture. Cranesbill geraniums grow well in partial sun to full shade and moist, well-drained soil. Use them to add long-lasting color around hostas.

9. Coleus

For splashes of color, it’s hard to beat coleus. Available in endless combinations of colors like lime green, burgundy, pink, and cream, coleus adds striking foliage around hostas. Choose upright varieties like ‘Black Dragon’ or trailing types like ‘Trailing Queen’ to complement larger, upright hostas. Coleus thrives in partial sun to shade and moist, fertile soil. Use it in containers paired with hosta or at the front of garden beds. Coleus is a tropical perennial usually grown as an annual.

10. Begonia

For part sun areas, wax begonia is an excellent annual companion for hostas. With abundant pink, white, or red blooms from spring to frost, begonias add long-lasting color. The plants grow in a mounded form 6-12 inches tall. Begonia foliage comes in attractive shapes like speckled, rounded, or pointed. Grow begonias in borders or containers combined with hostas. Provide rich, moist soil and afternoon shade especially in hot climates.

11. Impatiens

Shade-loving impatiens are amazing companion plants for hostas, blooming heavily all season. Busy Lizzie and New Guinea impatiens produce flowers in just about every color except blue. Use them to add pops of color at the front of hosta plantings. Impatiens grow best with ample moisture and protection from intense sun. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers. Treat impatiens as annuals in all but the warmest zones.

12. Caladium

For drama, plant caladiums with hostas. These tropical plants show off huge, heart-shaped or arrowhead leaves in a mix of white, pink, red and green. The colorful foliage provides striking contrast for the greener hosta leaves. Caladiums grow best in zones 9-11, but you can enjoy them elsewhere as summer annuals. Plant caladiums and hostas together in containers or garden beds in part sun to shade areas with rich, moist soil.

13. Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra)

Japanese forest grass makes a graceful companion for hostas with its arching, slender blades. The grass adds fine texture and movement to offset the big, bold leaves of hostas. There are green and variegated varieties to choose from, like ‘Aureola’ and ‘Albostriata’ with creamy white striped leaves. Japanese forest grass thrives in the same conditions as hostas – shade and consistently moist soil. Use it in masses or as a specimen plant near hostas.

14. Hellebores

Also called Lenten rose, these early bloomers complement hostas perfectly. Large, bowl-shaped hellebore flowers open in late winter or early spring, just before the emergence of hostas. Flower colors include white, pink, purple, burgundy, and green. After flowering, hellebores display attractive leathery, lobed foliage. Plant hellebores near the base of hostas or interspersed throughout hosta plantings. They flourish in partial sun to full shade.

15. Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)

The cherry-red, heart-shaped blooms of bleeding heart are a stunning addition to hosta gardens. Bleeding heart flowers dangle from arching stems in spring over a mound of lacy blue-green foliage. After flowering, the foliage recedes as warmer weather arrives. Bleeding heart looks beautiful planted behind or among emerging hostas. Both plants thrive in shade and moist, well-drained soil.

16. Corydalis (Corydalis lutea)

Here’s another lovely shade perennial that flowers in spring – corydalis. Spikes of yellow blooms appear above lacy, fern-like blue-green foliage starting in early spring. The foliage of corydalis has a similar texture to that of hostas. Corydalis spreads readily by both seeds and underground tubers. Its airy form creates a nice contrast to the bold leaves of hostas when intermingled in shade plantings.

17. Evergreen Azalea

Azaleas are a classic companion for hostas, working well planted together in borders or woodland gardens. The colorful spring blooms draw attention before the hosta leaves fill out. Evergreen varieties like Encore azaleas add year-round interest. Azaleas do best in dappled sunlight or light afternoon shade in areas with moist, acidic soil – similar to the preferred growing conditions for hostas.

18. Variegated Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum multiflorum)

Here’s one more shade loving perennial that combines nicely with hostas – variegated Solomon’s seal. Dangling bells of white flowers bloom in spring above green leaves edged in white or cream. After flowering, the variegated foliage remains beautiful all season, brightening up shady spots. The arching stems and petite leaves contrast nicely with hosta’s bolder leaves. Plant variegated Solomon’s seal near hostas in woodland gardens and shady borders.

Best Shrubs & Trees for Hosta Companion Planting

Don’t overlook trees and shrubs when choosing companion plants for hostas. Here are some top options:

• Japanese Maple – Try varieties like ‘Red Dragon’ or ‘Viridis’
• Hydrangea – Choose types like ‘Endless Summer’ or ‘Limelight’
• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Fothergilla – Often grown for its fall color
• Heuchera – Grown primarily for its colorful leaves
• Astilbe – Feathery plumes bloom in summer
• Sweetshrub (Calycanthus) – Produces fragrant flowers
• Oakleaf Hydrangea – White cone-shaped blooms in summer
• Flowering Dogwood – Showy spring blooms, great fall color
• Japanese Stewartia – Exfoliating bark, fall color
• Coral Bark Maple – Bright red stems in winter

Place these and other small trees or shrubs behind larger hosta varieties to create an attractive layered garden. Be sure to select plants that prefer the same shady conditions and moist soil as hostas.

Companion Planting to Avoid with Hostas

When pairing companions with hostas, there are a few types of plants you’ll want to avoid:

• Sun-loving perennials – Hostas grow best in partial shade to full shade. Don’t plant them near sun-lovers like yarrow, Shasta daisy, and Veronica.

• Shallow rooted shrubs or trees – Aggressive, shallow roots of plants like beech and maple compete with hostas.

• Heavy feeders – Plants that need more nutrients like asters may outcompete hostas.

• Plants that attract slugs – Slugs relish hosta leaves, so don’t place slug favorites like lettuce nearby.

• Plants with different watering needs – Ensure companion plants share hostas’ preference for consistently moist soil.

Tips for Companion Planting with Hostas

Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of combining hostas with other plants:

• Choose companion plants with similar cultural needs as hostas for shade and moisture.

• Use plants with contrasting leaf shapes, sizes, and colors for visual interest.

• Include early spring bloomers to add color before hostas leaf out.

• Add summer blooming plants to lengthen the season of color.

• Set larger hosta varieties near the back with smaller plants in front.

• Remove fading companion plant flowers to encourage more blooms.

• Add vertical elements like astilbe for height and structure.

• Include spreading groundcovers to form living mulch under hostas.

With the right companion plantings, your hostas will look even better than ever! Try combining these shade loving beauties with astilbe, coral bells, ferns, azaleas and other plants that flourish in the same conditions. The combinations are endless to create stunning beds and borders that look fantastic all season.