Hosta 'Golden Tiara': Compact Gold-Margined Classic for Edging

Hosta 'Golden Tiara': The Original Small Gold-Edged Hosta

Hosta 'Golden Tiara', hybridized by Savory and introduced in 1977, was one of the first widely available small hostas with gold margins. Its compact size, reliable variegation, and vigorous growth made it a staple for edging and mass planting—a true workhorse of the shade garden.

Compact Variegated Mound

The leaves are small, 4–6 inches long, ovate to heart-shaped, medium green with a distinct, even gold margin about ½ inch wide. The variegation is stable and consistent. The plant forms a neat, dense mound 10–12 inches tall and 18–24 inches wide—perfect for edging. Purple-striped scapes bear lavender flowers in midsummer.

Vigorous and Reliable

'Golden Tiara' is notably vigorous, quickly forming a dense ground cover that suppresses weeds. It tolerates a range of light conditions (morning sun to full shade) and soil types. Hardy in USDA zones 3–9. Its compact size and reliable variegation make it ideal for mass planting, edging paths, and container combinations.

Taxonomic Profile

• Family: Liliaceae
• Genus: Hosta
• Cultivar: 'Golden Tiara'
• Hybridizer: Savory
• Introduced: 1977

Edging Excellence

Few hostas are as effective for edging as 'Golden Tiara'. Its uniform height, dense habit, and bright margins create a clean, luminous line along paths and beds. Mass it under trees, along woodland paths, or as a foreground planting in mixed borders. A classic that earns its keep through sheer reliability.