Plant Type

Ground cover, Perennial

 

Height Range

Under 1', 1-3'

 

Flower Color

Pink, Purple, Violet, White

 

Flower Season

Summer

 

Leaf Color

Gold, Green, Blue Green, Dark Green, Light Green, Yellow Green, Yellow, Variegated

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Half, Shade

 

Water

Medium, Extra in Summer

 

Growth Rate

Moderate, Slow

 

Soil Type

Loam

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Well-drained

 

Soil pH

Neutral

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Japanese, Woodland

 

Accenting Features

Fragrance, Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Summer

 

Location Uses

Entry, Perennial Border, Shrub Border, Foundation, Patio, Walkways

 

Special Uses

Container, Cut Flowers, Mass Planting, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

Hummingbirds

Hosta are herbaceous perennials, hardy to Zones 3 or 4, depending on the variety. Sometimes referred to as the plantain lily, hosta have fleshy roots and short spreading rhizomes; in spring broad leaves emerge from a central crown and develop into a mounded form. Leaves come in colors from bright green to gold and even blue tones; some have variegated leaves, with strips, blotches, or margins of varying shades of green, white, cream or gold. Leaf texture varies and can be smooth, veined, or even puckered. Leaf size ranges from petite (a few inches long) to gigantic (a few feet long). Descriptions such as heart-shaped, lance-like, and cupped characterize different leaf shapes. Depending on growing conditions and variety, individual plants range in size from six inches high and a foot or less across to 3 to 4 feet high and 5 to 6 feet across. Although hosta flowers are sometimes discounted as secondary, they can provide great ornamental value. The flower stalks, known as racemes, hold bell-like blossoms of white or lavender to blue. Some flowers are exceptionally fragrant as well as attractive to hummingbirds and bees. Use as an understory plant in the shady shrub or foundation border, or under trees, or in the shady perennial garden.

Grow in well drained soil in part shade to full shade to dappled light. Some varieties are listed as being suitable for full sun, but in our hot, dry climate, they all benefit from some mid-day sun protection. Ideally, provide a loamy soil, amended with organic material. Remove spent flower scapes after blooming to encourage more flowering and for a tidy appearance. In early spring, remove spent foliage, taking care to watch for new foliage emerging from the crown. Though not thought of as a "water-wise" plant, Hosta do remarkably well in dry part-shade to full-shade conditions, and are frequently the victim of over-watering, succumbing to crown or root rot.