Sum and Substance Hosta

Hosta x 'Sum and Substance'

Nature Hills Nursery

The Largest Hosta Cultivar with Massive, Heavily Puckered Leaves that Command Shade Garden Attention
Cold Hardy: Thrives in Zones 3-9
Grows 2-4 ft Tall, 4-6 ft Wide
Showy Purple Blooms From Late Summer to Early Fall
Ideal for Mass Planting in Asian Gardens

$29⁶⁷

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Plant Size

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Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: This hosta is a standout because its rich, gold color only develops with more sun than most hostas prefer; aim for four to six hours of gentle morning sun, or all-day dappled shade. If placed in deep shade, the color will be a muted chartreuse, and while too much direct, hot afternoon sun can scorch the massive leaves, its vibrant gold hue is the reward for planting it in a brighter location.
Soil: Hostas perform best in consistently moist, but not soggy, soil that is rich in organic matter to encourage those large roots. For heavy clay, immediately incorporate plenty of well-rotted compost and shredded leaves to improve drainage and prevent crown rot. In sandy soils, that added organic material is even more critical as it helps the soil retain the moisture and nutrients this large specimen needs.

Watering Requirements

In the first year, deep watering once or twice a week is essential to help the plant establish its impressive root system. Once mature, 'Sum and Substance' is surprisingly tolerant of dry spells, but you should still aim for consistent moisture to ensure the leaves reach their full, massive size and avoid crispy brown edges. Allowing the soil to dry out excessively will stress the plant, resulting in smaller foliage and increased vulnerability to common pests.

Pruning Tips

You won't be pruning for shape, as hostas are entirely new wood, meaning their foliage and flower scapes emerge fresh from the root crown each spring. You should deadhead the flower stalks, or scapes, once the blooms are spent to redirect energy from seed production back into growing the root and foliage mass. In late fall, after a hard frost has turned the leaves to mush, cut the foliage back to the ground to eliminate a prime overwintering spot for slugs and snails.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10, in early spring right as the new pips are just starting to emerge from the ground. This provides a steady nutrient supply to fuel the development of those immense leaves throughout the growing season. The main thing to avoid is a high-nitrogen feed late in the summer, as this encourages tender, soft growth that will not have time to harden off and is highly susceptible to early frost damage.

Delivery and Shipping

Shipping Rates

Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Understanding Our Container Sizes

At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes

Quart

Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.

#1 Container

Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.

#2 Container

Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.

#3 Container

Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.

#5 Container and Larger

Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.

Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?

Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.

Root Pouch Containers

Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

Plants growing in Root Pouch fabric containers, showing the breathable woven fabric construction

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:

Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.

Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.

Full Root Pouch planting guide

Choosing the Right Size

Size	Plant Age	Best For
Quart	6 mo to 1 yr	Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings.
#1 Container	1 to 2 yrs	Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners.
#2 Container	2 to 3 yrs	Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment.
#3 Container	3 to 4 yrs	Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size.
#5 and larger	4+ yrs	Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact.

Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

Plant specifications
Plant Characteristics	Cold hardy, Groundcover, Flowering, Wet Soils, Attracts Hummingbirds, Container Friendly
Hardiness Zone	3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Sunlight	Full sun, Partial shade, Shade
Height	2-4 ft
Width	4-6 ft
Watering Needs	Moderate
Preferred Soil	Peaty
Growth Rate	Moderate
Growth Habit	Compact
Plant Life Cycle	Perennial
Blooms In	Fall, Summer
Flower Color	Purple
Foliage Color	Green, Variegated
Pet Safety	Toxic to pets
Suitable Space	Outdoors
Plant Name	Hosta
Botanical Name	Hosta x 'Sum and Substance'
Species	x
Cultivar	Sum and Substance
Class	Asparagales
Does Not Ship To	AK, HI, ID, MT, PR

If you have a shade garden, you are probably already very well acquainted with the beautiful family of Hosta. Regarded for their leaves in striking textures and patterns, Hostas are one of the best plants for shade for both beginning and experienced gardeners!

Besides striking leaves, though, a few Hosta just seem to stand out - big time! Or maybe you're looking for a Hosta with a little more, well - substance? Introducing the Sum and Substance Hosta, (Hosta x 'Sum and Substance')! Not only does it have huge, rounded leaves with an amazing texture and heavily puckered, corrugated character, but it carries an unusual golden and green hue that illuminates the dappled shade!

The plant itself reaches a height of 36" and a spread of 60". That's a big deal! This is a giant plant with colorful foliage that will need space to grow, so don't be stingy with the room. Sum and Substance leaves unfurl quickly and take up a commanding presence from the time it emerges in early spring right up until fall frost!

The luxuriously arching, mounding clumps almost glow in the shade. Displaying better color with a few hours of the morning sun, these sturdy, heart-shaped leaves create a lovely cascading effect as each new set of leaves spills over the last.

Not to be outdone by the leaf color, the trumpet-shaped lavender flowers form on tall 50-inch scapes and add further beauty to this sizable perennial. These will be fluttering with pollinators and butterflies, and maybe a Hummingbird or two! You'll love the blooms as lovely cut flowers for your bouquets.

Talk about lighting up the shade garden!

Planting and Application:

You'll gain immense curb appeal with a row of shade garden-loving Sum and Substance fronting your foundation plantings or lining a shaded driveway! Or line that shaded side of your home's foundation where not much else seems to grow.

Use fantastic greenery at the back of your Perennial or Cottage garden, and you'll have a brilliant backdrop to highlight your other shade-loving perennials and shrubs. These brightly colored leaves accent the dark colors of other shade-loving perennials like Coral Bells and Goat's Beard and Hillside Black Beauty Bugbane, contrast the fine-textured foliage of Astilbe, Ferns, and Bleeding Hearts, and complement the bright colors of Brunnera or Japanese Forest Grasses.

Try a striking combination of Primo Black Pearl Coral Bells or Hillside Black Beauty Bugbane with Sum and Substance Hosta for a striking contrast!

These hefty plants anchor larger planting beds and soften corners of structures and trellis while fringing large shade trees and shrubs with color while hiding their bare stems and trunk, providing a wonderful finished look.

Allow one of these sizeable plants to take a prominent spot in your Rock garden or as a standout specimen and facer plant and focal point in your shade gardens where the bright golden chartreuse color really lights up the scene!

Skirt a garden shed or gazebo with glorious color throughout the growing season. Or highlight one of these golden-green gems in a large urn or on a berm to further set it apart from the rest!

Try creating a focal point planting in your garden by clustering these in a grouping of 3 or more for a stand-out accent! Seating areas, birdbaths, outdoor sculptures, and urns become the main feature with a fringe of these around their base.

Anyone who's seen the vast array of sizes, colors, and textures that Hosta can be found in today, knows that it's difficult to just have one! Why not start your own specimen planting of many Hosta varieties for a unique collection that's going to be a sure-fire conversation starter!

Huge Bright Gold & Green Foliage
Puckered & Cupped Leaves & Large Arching 5-Foot Mounds
Long Bell-Shaped Lavender Blooms on Scapes Over 4 Feet Tall!
Pollinators & Hummingbirds
2004 Hosta of the Year Award
Specimen & Back of the Garden, Large Edging & Shade Garden Perennial

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Sum and Substance Hosta grows fantastic in deep shade in the warm USDA growing zones 3 through 9, where it will also require some extra moisture throughout the hot summers. But a little morning sun will help its striking gold-chartreuse color reach its full depth. Cooler hardiness zones will find this Hosta enjoys partial sun exposure, however, the full sun will cause these leaves to burn, so provide this herbaceous Perennial with afternoon shade and extra moisture during the summer's heat.

Provide regular watering for best results in an enriched site with good amounts of organic matter. Besides that, all this easy-care plant needs is some water and well-drained soil, then stand back and watch it do its thing! Preferring a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. A generous 3-4 inch thick layer of mulch chips helps retain soil moisture as well as insulate the root system from heat and chill. Low care and easy maintenance, remove the dead leaves after frost for a clean winter appearance and to prevent any possible fungal or slug issues from wintering over. Deadhead Hostas as soon as the flowers fade for a tidy look, and in fall when these herbaceous Perennials die back from the cold, it's time to prune the mound clean and remove the dead foliage. Divide your Hosta every 3-5 years to maintain vigor.

Partial Shade & Morning Sun
Moist Well-Drained Soil
Deadhead & Prune Late Autumn
Easy-Care Perennial for New Gardeners
Slug Resistant

Sum and Substance was named Hosta of the Year in 2004 and has been a bold and vivid favorite ever since! Head over to NatureHills.com to buy a few from us today and see why for yourself!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do Hostas need full sun or shade?

Hosta does best in full sun in cooler climates but does appreciate afternoon protection from the worst of the summer sun, especially in the hottest of their growing zone range. In the hottest climates, Hosta like partial shade or dappled shade, and some varieties will do great in full shade.

Where do Hostas grow best?

Hosta plants love enriched, well-drained soil that is moderately yet consistently moist throughout the growing season. They appreciate mulched garden beds.

Do Hostas come back every year? Are Hostas a perennial plant?

With vigorous carefree growth, Hostas are herbaceous perennial plants that will return year after year with little maintenance.

What do you do with Hostas in the fall? What do you do with Hostas in the winter?

Hosta leaves will die back after frost but the crowns and roots remain intact and dormant until next spring. Prune back the leaves once they turn brown in the autumn and remove them from the plant's area. For winter protection, add a layer of compost or mulch over the crowns to protect them from the chill.

Do Hosta attract hummingbirds or pollinators?

Hostas are loved by pollinators and hummingbirds! All walks of beneficial pollinators will show up to sip their nectar.

What Shipping Options Do You Offer?

NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and don'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Hosta Plants for sale here at NatureHills.com!