Why You Should Reconsider Growing Hostas With Your Crepe Myrtle Trees

Visually, crepe myrtles and hostas would make a lovely pair. Whether they're growing as large trees or smaller bushes, crepe myrtles offer your yard a pop of color with their clusters of blooms from late spring through fall, depending on where you live. Some cultivars also feature foliage in deep shades of red or purple. They attract pollinators and hummingbirds, and if you leave the seed heads over the winter, you'll have bird visitors stop by for a tasty snack. In contrast, low-growing hostas come in many shades of green, with or without variegation. Some, like the 'Empress Wu' hosta (Hosta 'Empress Wu') grow quite large, while there are other, much smaller species. Frankly, nearly any combination of these two plants would be beautiful together — if only they could thrive in the same environmental conditions.

I've grown several species of crepe myrtles and hostas, but as House Digest's Garden Editor and in-house Master Gardener, I'm here to tell you that I would never try to grow them in the same spot. However, while I keep my crepe myrtles and hostas in separate areas of my landscape, there may be some exceptional circumstances in which it could work. If this is a combo you want to try, the key is choosing a location and two species that could work together.

Crepe myrtles love full sun and heat. If you transplant your crepe myrtle to a spot where it doesn't get shade, you'll get the most stunning colors of blooms, even in the hottest part of summer when many other flowers start to fade. These trees are also exceptionally drought tolerant. Once they are established, you may never need to water them. I never even fertilize my "myrtle." I just give her one pruning a year, and she rewards me — and the neighborhood — with gorgeous blooms all summer. In short, crepe myrtles are low-maintenance trees.

Aside from the occasional slug attack, hostas are also pretty low-maintenance, but that's about where their similarities with crepe myrtles end. While these trees love full sun, hostas are prone to sun scald if they have more than a few hours of direct sun a day. I made this mistake with my 'Empress Wu'. Even though I thought I was placing this hosta in full shade, as it grew and spread, a portion of the plant ended up getting too much sun, severely damaging its large, beautiful leaves.

Hostas also like consistent moisture or their leaves will brown on the edges. Since some only put on one flush of leaves a season, once those leaves are damaged, they won't be replaced until next year. With such extreme differences in environmental needs, it's easy to see why crepe myrtles and hostas are not ideal companions.

Now, here's where I'm going to contradict myself a bit. While they may not be perfect companions, sometimes you can stretch the rules of nature a bit. We know that crepe myrtles like full sun and hostas like lots of shade. If you plant your hostas close to the base of your crepe myrtle on its east or north side, they will get the most shade from the tree. Of course, this will only work if your tree is large enough to provide shade. Choosing smaller hosta varieties, like 'Blue Mouse Ears' and 'Cameo', could help them stay safe under the shade of the tree's canopy. Planting this combo in a spot that gets consistent moisture but drains well will also help ensure both are healthy. 

Because crepe myrtles need a minimum of six hours of full sun to thrive, you may not be able to grow hostas as a companion plant. When you're looking for better options, choose plants that have similar environmental needs as these trees, including full sun and drought tolerance, for the best results. Salvia, coneflower, and monarda are all perennial plants that may be perfect for your garden, attracting even more birds and beneficial insects.