Hosta ‘Red October’ on 5-10-10, #55-29.
Hosta ‘Red October’
Hosta longipes var. hypoglauca x Hosta kikutii ‘Harvest Delight’
This Hosta was introduced by Roy Herold in 1995, although I think it was discovered in 1988. It was registered by Kevin Walek on Mr. Herold’s behalf in 2009. It is regarded as one of the best red-stemmed Hosta available.
Hosta ‘Red October’ has produced three registered sports.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-15-12, #86-41.
I bought my Hosta ‘Red October’ in 2009 while I was living in Mississippi but I don’t remember where, either Lowe’s or from an Ebay seller. I brought it with me when I moved back to Missouri in 2013 and it has continued to do very well. It never flowered in Mississippi but it has every year since I moved back to the family farm in mid-Missouri.
<<<<2013 NOW IN MISSOURI>>>>
Hosta ‘Red October’ blowing in the wind on 5-14-13, #148-16.
I dug a new shade bed where I had flower beds back in the early 1980’s. Back then this was a sunny area now it has three large trees. A perfect spot for Hosta!
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-1-13, #151-49.
Hosta ‘Red October’ features dark red petioles, dark green leaves with white undersides The plant is an upright grower with an arching habit. Hosta ‘Red October’ grows to approximately 18-24″ tall x 20-24″ wide. It produces lavender flowers starting in late September on 24″ tall stems. Leaves are approximately 4″ wide x 8″ long.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 7-3-13, #160-21.
USEFUL INFORMATION:
Family: Asparagaceae (formerly in Liliaceae)
Origin: Hybrid by Roy Herold
Zones: USDA Zones 3a-8b (-40 to 15° F)
Size: 12-24” tall x 24-30” wide in time
Spacing: 18-24”
Flowers: Lavender flowers in August-September on 24” stems
Leaves: Lance-shaped dark green leaves with powdery undersides
Light: Light to full shade
Soil: Prefers moist, well-drained soil
Water: Average water needs once established
Propagation: Division every 3-5 years.
Uses: Attracts hummingbirds, shade garden, containers, etc.
Tolerates: Dry shade and high humidity
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 7-30-13, #165-41.
I have had this Hosta since 2009, so there are a lot of photos. More photos than I have words for.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 9-17-13, #188-42.
Well, Hosta ‘Red October’ is certainly not critter resistant…
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 9-17-13, #188-43.
FINALLY ITS FIRST BUD!
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 9-30-13, #192-4.
None of my Hosta flowered in Mississippi, so I was delighted when they started in Missouri. Although the name seems to suggest they flower in October, mine started in September. Wonder why they didn’t name it ‘Red September’?
<<<<2014>>>>
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-1-14, #228-54.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-12-14, #229-24.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-29-14, #230-63.
Looking really good in 2014!
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 7-12-14, #231-64.
<<<<2015>>>>
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 3-22-15, #233-9.
It’s always good when spring arrives and the Hosta and other perennials start coming up!
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-4-15, #235-7.
Hosta ‘Red October’ always seems to emerge and start unfurling its leaves in every which direction.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-9-15, #23-10.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-21-15, #243-11.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 5-11-15, #254-5.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-14-15, #268-29.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-27-15, #270-32.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 7-12-15, #271-25.
<<<<2016>>>>
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 7-19-16, #274-38.
<<<<2017>>>>
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-20-17, #320-7.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 5-26-17, #334-20.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 5-31-17, #339-25.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-18-17, #345-31.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-24-17, #349-46.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 7-9-17, #355-25.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 7-19-17, #357-42.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 9-10-17, #373-11.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 10-11-17, #382-42.
As cooler temperatures and shorter daylengths came, many of the Hosta and other perennials were showing signs that they would soon be hibernating. Now we start the process of waiting all winter to see what will return in the spring.
<<<<2018>>>>
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-13-18, #425-24.
Hosta ‘Red October’ was kind of slow coming up in the spring of 2018 and I coud tell something was not right.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 5-6-18, #436-33.
Even when temperatures were warming up and the other Hosta were doing better, Hosta ‘Red October’ was still not growing with the pace as the others. The Iris was getting thicker so I thought maybe it was getting crowded. I had moved Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ in 2017 because it was having some difficulties (which was behind Hosta ‘Red October’).
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 5-17-18, #443-49.
I decided to dig Hosta ‘Red October’ and maybe put it in a new location. I found that the moles had been digging and a hole was right under this Hosta. Its roots were right over the hole so I figured that was the problem. I divided the plant in half and moved them to a new location.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-9-18, #456-19.
I put one next to one of the Chinese Elm trees…
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-14-18, #459-38.
And the other next to the other Chinese Elm tree on the other side of one of the shade beds.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-21-18, #462-15.
They did OK, but not great. I took photos and measurements of the Hosta on June 20 and 21 but I didn’t measure Hosta ‘Red October’. I didn’t think that would be fair since I had just divided it.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 6-21-18, #462-16.
The above photo shows the chalky appearance of the underside of the leaf of Hosta ‘Red October’.
I don’t like having the Hosta cultivars in more than one location, so I think in 2019 I will put the two back together again. Hopefully, it will survive the winter.
<<<<2019>>>>
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-20-19, #560-21.
Talk about a miraculous recovery! I thought the Hosta ‘Red October’ was completely gone. Each time I checked on the Hosta and took photos of them coming up, Hosta ‘Red October’ was nowhere to be seen. The clump had struggled last spring because of a mole tunnel under the roots, so I dug it up. There were only two plants left in the clump so I put them beside two separate Chinese Elm trees. They didn’t do well all summer but they did survive. This spring they were gone. I dug into the soil where I had planted them and nothing was to be found. Then one day, with no camera, I saw they had both came up. Not just a sprout, but the whole plant! It had only been a couple of days since I took photos and they were not there. It was a pleasant surprise for sure! So, I took both plants and put them where The Hosta ‘Rainforest Sunrise’ had been (where one of the ‘H. ‘Guacamole’ had been last year).
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-23-19, #562-17.
Still doing well on April 24 and happy to be back together again.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 5-5-19, #566-40.
By May 5, temps had been getting warm enough for the Hosta to start growing much better.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 5-25-19, #576-46.
LOOKING GOOD!
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 8-11-19, #613-24.
August 11 was the last day I took photos of the plants in the shade bed in 2019. They had a great summer despite the Japanese Beetle invasion which wasn’t bad in 2019 as it was in 2018. It wasn’t as bad in 2019 because I had a trap right next to the shade beds. I had to keep an eye on them and water a little more often.
<<<<2020>>>>
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-1-20, #682-3.
Spring was in the air when the above photo was taken on April 1 and the Hosta have been “working on it”. Most of them have been poking out of the ground for a while and now are beginning to turn green. They are a bit slow sometimes when cool temps linger, but as soon as it gets warm enough they will start growing better. It seems like they are waiting for the perfect opportunity.
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 5-15-20, #700-18.
The Hosta did great but I was fairly busy over the summer in 2020 so I didn’t get to take many photos. The plants in the shade bed did very well and we had rain off and on. Luckily, we didn’t have much of a problem with the Japanese Beetles like in 2018 and 2019, so the shade beds stayed shady…
<<<<2021>>>>
2021 Wasn’t a good year for the Hosta here. Normally, the deer only nibble on the H. ‘Potomac Pride’ when the Hosta start growing in the spring then leave them alone. In 2021, they kept eating their leaves and wouldn’t let several of them grow. HOPEFULLY, they won’t be a problem in 2022.
<<<<2022>>>>
Hosta ‘Red October’ on 4-10-22, #866-13.
The Hosta ‘Red October’ made it through the winter and was up and running on April 10 in 2022. The deer was not a problem in 2022, but I was fairly busy over the summer and didn’t take any more photos of the plants in the shade bed.
Unfortunately, Hosta ‘Red October’ didn’t return in the spring of 2023.
I moved the Hosta to the bed on the north side of the house in the spring of 2023. There was a continual problem with moles over the winter for several years and the Hosta struggled to come up in the spring. Being on the north side of the house, I can keep an eye on them and take care of them better. Hopefully, I can find another Hosta ‘Red October’.
I hope you found this page useful. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, I would like to hear from you. Please click on the “Like” below if you have visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 Click here for my page about the Hosta genus, growing information and sources. The links below are specifically for this cultivar. There are several good sources of Hosta somewhere toward the bottom on the right side of the page.
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