Meet the Hosta
Hosta | Hosta spp.
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a small-medium herbaceous perennial, with a clumping form.
My blooms are trumpet or bell-shaped, typically purple or white in color. They hang off a tall stem that shoots upwards from the center of the plant.
My foliage can vary in color, but most are pointed oval or heart-shaped. I have prominent leaf veins that generally run parallel to the shape of my leaf. Some varieties have wavy leaf edges.
My leaves often have a smooth, waxy texture.
Each leaf is attached to a smooth, U-shaped stem. They can have speckles, be a burgundy color, or match the leaf color.
How big do I grow?: 0.5’ - 2.5’ height and 0.5’ - 3’ spread. These are average sizes but there is a huge range in sizes between varieties, some can grow to even 5’+ in spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Part shade to full shade.
Where I prefer to put my roots: Moist, rich soils that are slightly acidic. I dislike soggy soils.
Hardiness: Zone 3-9
Original home: I am native to Asia and Eastern Russia.
Colors: Purple or white flowers, and a variety of foliage colors.
When I bloom: Summer.
Wildlife friends: Pollinators may visit my flowers, but deer and rabbits find my leaves delicious.
Flora Fun Facts: The American Hosta Society has designated five leaf color groups: Green, Blue, Gold, Medio-variegated (dark margins with a lighter center), and Marginal-variegated (light margins with a dark center). Generally, blue-leaved forms prefer more shade.
More Info: This queen of the shade garden offers color, bold, tropical texture, and sometimes even fragrance. The Hosta is exceedingly tough - it thrives in moist and dry shade and requires a dormant period of cold winter weather. Mix and match Hosta varieties for a colorful foliage garden, paired well with other shade-loving perennials and shrubs (like the Astilbe, ferns, Coral Bells, and Solomon’s Seal).
A member of the Asparagaceae (Asparagus) family. Hosta is also called Plantain Lily, and was previously called Funkia. Most Hostas are varieties or hybrids of Hosta plantaginea and Hosta sieboldiana.
This plant spreads by rhizome and is toxic to dogs and cats.
Some varieties have fragrant flowers (such as ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ and ‘Frosty Ribbons’).
Introduced to the United States in the mid-1800s, there are now over 2000 cultivars of Hosta.
Hostas can be easily propagated, by dividing a large plant into smaller clumps.
Slugs can damage Hosta plants, though some varieties are considered more resistant to slug damage (such as ‘Big Daddy’ and ‘Patriot’).
A classic choice for a shade garden, container, border planting, rock garden, and/or woodland landscape. Beware that Hostas are a favorite snack for deer!
