General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8b
Plant Height: 42 inches
Plant Spread: 6 feet
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Flower Time: Summer
Underground structures: Rhizome
Propagation: Seeds: Will not come true from seed
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Miscellaneous: Patent/Plant Breeders' Rights: PP: 20774 Can. Can.: 4240
Child plants: 2 child plants

Image
Trade name information:
Series: Shadowland®
Trade Name: Empress Wu
Cultivar name: 'Shadowland Empress Wu'
Common names
  • Hosta

Photo Gallery
Location: Barnes Arboretum, Merion, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2018-06-09
Location: RHS Harlow Carr gardens, Yorkshire, England UK 
Date: 2020-07-11
Hosta Empress Wu
Location: home garden VA
Date: 2024-04-26
Hosta ‘Empress Wu’
Location: West Jefferson, North Carolina
Date: 2023-06-07
Location: Apple Valley MN
Date: 2018-05-16
Location: East border
Date: July
Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2018-05-05
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2017-05-05
Location: East border
Date: May 2015
3rd year growth, not fully out of the ground yet - white plant ta
Location: Stoneham MA
Date: August 12, 2021
Location: West Jefferson, North Carolina
Date: 2023-06-07

Date: 2020-06-16

Date: 2022-05-04
Location: Bochum, Germany
Date: 2023-06-15
Location: West Jefferson, North Carolina
Date: 2023-06-07
Location: Apple Valley MN
Date: 2017-05-28
H. Empress Wu  26" tall 48" wide
Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2019-06-30
Location: Haley Springs Farm
Date: 2020-06-05
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2015-06-24
Second year plant.
Location: Home

Date: 2021-04-23
Location: Derwood, MD
Date: 10-Jul-2016
Hosta 'Empress Wu Flower
Location: Bowling Green, Ky 
Date: 2014-05-30
I ordered this Hosta and it came in a 4" pot, now it is huge.

Date: 2021-04-18
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2014-06-29
Third year in my garden.
Location: West border
Date: June 2015
Dug it up, split it, moved it, and she hasn't skipped a beat!
Location: Chigago
Date: 2020-05-26
2 year old seedling
Uploaded by NJBob
Location: Shamong, NJ
Date: 2019-08-25
Year 4
Location: East side of house
Date: July
Location: Black Creek Greenhouse in East Earl PA
Date: 2017-04-11
Deeply furrowed leaves are really thick & sturdy!
Uploaded by plantcollector
Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2019-05-11
Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Location: Taken in my garden
Date: 2012-04-18
This was just planted last year.  Hopefully I can come back in a

Date: 2021-04-18
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2014-06-29
Location: Central Kansas (Zone 6b)
Date: 2016-06-12
Location: Shamong, NJ
Date: 2017-07-01
Year 2
Location: Mason, New Hampshire
Date: 2019-06-02
photo credit: Robert Duval
Location: Twisp
Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2017-09-17
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2015-06-26
Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2020-07-11
Location: Derwood, MD
Date: 08-Jul-2016
Close-up of flower for Hosta 'Empress Wu'
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2013-06-24
Second year plant

Date: 2012-07-05
Location: East side of house
Date: June
Location: Shamong, NJ
Date: 2019-08-25
Year 4
Location: Shamong, NJ
Date: 2019-08-25
Year 4
Location: Black Creek Greenhouse in East Earl PA
Date: 2017-04-11
Young plants in gallon pots. Compare size to neighbors... you can

Date: 2013-08-20

Date: 2013-08-20
Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2019-05-22

Image Courtesy of Bloomin Designs Nursery Used with Permission
  • Uploaded by vic
Location: Huge at maturity
Date: 2011-10-20
Young plant
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2015-05-08
First day of emergence; these plants really explode upon awakenin
Location: Shores of Miserva, my home
Date: 2016-06-06
Location: Mason, New Hampshire
Date: 2020-05-31
Photo credit: Robert Duval
Location: Central Kansas (Zone 6b)
Date: 2016-06-12
Location: Central Kansas (Zone 6b)
Date: 2016-06-12
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by Moonhowl (Prairieville, LA - Zone 9a) on Mar 29, 2015 5:25 PM concerning plant:
    Hosta 'Empress Wu' is considered to be the largest-leaf hosta and was introduced by Brian and Virginia Skaggs. It was a selected seedling of Hosta 'Big John' (Clarence Owens, 1986)
Plant Events from our members
christine2 On June 1, 2014 Obtained plant
Cobs On March 21, 2022 Miscellaneous Event
Planted under Bantry Bay rose - Waratah garden on the edge of the runb to pool paddock
MissMew On September 8, 2022 Obtained plant
From a client of Suzanne.
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