Hydrangea nigra

'Blue Mouse Ears' hosta is just ridiculously cute — but don't let that petite size fool you, this little trooper is tough as nails. This beloved miniature hosta has racked up multiple awards, and it's no wonder why. Those dusky blue leaves are thick and sturdy, which means slugs can barely make a dent in them. Plus, the short, chunky midsummer flowers are perfectly sized for the little clump of foliage. Whether you're tucking it into a shade garden or a container, 'Blue Mouse Ears' fits right in.

Common name: 'Blue Mouse Ears' hosta

Botanical name: Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'

Origin: Hosta species are native to northeastern Asia. The cultivar 'Blue Mouse Ears' was discovered by Maryland nursery owners Emile and Jane Deckert in the early 2000s — it popped up as a sport (a genetic mutation) of 'Blue Cadet'. After its introduction, 'Blue Mouse Ears' picked up several awards, including the Blue Leaf Award from the American Hosta Society (2004), the American Hosta Growers Association's Hosta of the Year Award (2008), and the American Hosta Society's Benedict Garden Performance Medal (2011). It's also gone on to inspire a whole series of miniature hostas, many with "mouse" in their name. Some appeared as sports of 'Blue Mouse Ears' (or sports of its sports!), while others were deliberately bred to carry some of its genes. You'll find fun ones like 'Mighty Mouse', 'School Mouse', 'Sun Mouse', 'Mini Skirt', and 'Fingernails'.

• 'Skywriter'(2025)
• 'Mini Skirt'(2024)
• 'Neptune'(2023)
• 'Island Breeze'(2022)
• 'Rainbow's End'(2021)
• 'Lakeside Paisley Print'(2019)
• 'Brother Stefan'(2017)
• 'Victory'(2015)
• View the full list of winners at the AHGA website.

One cute hosta

Flowers: 'Blue Mouse Ears' produces these chunky, outward-facing, bell-shaped light purple flowers in clusters atop sturdy stems in midsummer. Both the flowers and their stems stay nicely in proportion with the small leaves, rising just a few inches above the foliage mound — nothing looks out of place.

Foliage: Sturdy, broadly oval leaves in a dusky blue to blue-green shade. Individual leaves measure less than four inches long and three inches wide. Emile Deckert named this hosta because those rounded leaves, as they unfurl in spring, really do look like little mouse ears — and honestly, they absolutely do.

Size and habit: 'Blue Mouse Ears' is a miniature hosta that maxes out at just 8 inches tall and about 12 inches wide at maturity. Those thick, rather stiff leaves form a dense, rounded little mound of foliage that's just adorable.

Growing 'Blue Mouse Ears' hosta

Exposure: Part to full shade

How to grow it: Give 'Blue Mouse Ears' a spot in part or full shade. With any blue hosta, too much sun — especially that harsh midday stuff — will scorch the leaves and leave bleached marks. To prevent that, make sure the only direct sun it gets, if any, is in the early morning (ideal) or late afternoon (next best). Consistent, deep watering of about an inch per week brings out the best growth. Hostas can handle some drought once they're settled in, but a dry summer will hold them back from reaching their full potential that year and even into the next. If you're growing miniature hostas in pots, check them daily for dryness — containers can dry out shockingly fast.

Like all hostas, 'Blue Mouse Ears' and other minis love fertile, well-drained soil. If your soil is on the poor side, mix in some compost at planting time and top-dress with more every year. Aged manure, compost, or leaf mold makes fantastic mulch for hostas — it holds in moisture while feeding the soil at the same time. 'Blue Mouse Ears' grows happily in USDA Zones 3–8.

Images courtesy of Walters Gardens