It’s easy to understand how so many people can fall in love with the hosta plant. Not only do they provide lush foliage in gardens, but they are also easy to care for. This makes them a preferred, low maintenance plant for both beginners and more seasoned gardeners.
| Common name | Hosta, Plantain Lily |
| Botanical name | Hosta |
| Family | Asparagaceae |
| Origin | Russian Far East to China, Japan, and Korea |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Plant type | Ground Cover |
| Hardiness zone | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Sunlight | Deep shade |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Soil condition | High Organic Matter |
| Soil ph | Acid |
| Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Growth rate | Medium |
| Spacing | 12 in. – 3 ft. |
| Harvest time | Fall |
| Flowering period | Summer |
| Height | 4 in. – 2 ft. 6 in. |
| Width | 4 in. – 2 ft. 6 in. |
| Flower color | Lavender, Purple |
| Leaf color | Blue |
| Fruit color | Brown, Copper |
| Stem color | Blue |
| Fruit type | Capsule |
| Leaf benefit | Showy |
| Flower benefit | Fragrant |
| Garden style | Asian Garden |
| Uses | Pond |
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Hosta (syn. Funkia) is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies and occasionally by the Japanese name gibōshi. Hostas are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants. The genus is currently placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, and is native to northeast Asia (China, Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East).
Like many “lilioid monocots”, the genus was once classified in the Liliaceae. The genus was named by Austrian botanist Leopold Trattinnick in 1812, in honor of the Austrian botanist Nicholas Thomas Host. In 1817, the generic name Funkia was used by German botanist Kurt Sprengel in honor of Heinrich Christian Funck, a collector of ferns and alpines; this was later used as a common name and can be found in some older literature.
Hostas are herbaceous perennial plants, growing from rhizomes which are sometimes stoloniferous, with broad lanceolate or ovate leaves varying widely in size by species from 1–18 in (2.5–45.7 cm) long and 0.75–12 in (2–30 cm) broad. The smallest varieties are called miniatures. Variation among the numerous cultivars is even greater, with clumps ranging from less than 4 in (10 cm) across and 3 in (7.6 cm) high to more than 6 ft (1.8 m) across and 4 ft (1.2 m) high. Leaf color in wild species is typically green, although some species (e.g., H. sieboldiana) are known for a glaucous waxy leaf coating that gives a blue appearance to the leaf. Some species have a glaucous white coating covering the underside of the leaves.
Natural mutations of native species are known with yellow-green (“gold”) colored leaves or with leaf variegation (either white/cream or yellowish edges or centers). Variegated plants very often give rise to sports that are the result of the reshuffling of cell layers during bud formation, producing foliage with mixed pigment sections. In seedlings variegation is generally maternally derived by chloroplast transfer and is not a genetically inheritable trait.
The flowers of hosta are produced on upright scapes that are woody and remain on the plant throughout winter, they are generally taller than the leaf mound, and end in terminal racemes. The individual flowers are usually pendulous, 0.75–2 in (1.9–5.1 cm) long, with six tepals, white, lavender, or violet in color and usually scentless. The only strongly fragrant species is Hosta plantaginea, which has white flowers up to 4 in (10 cm) long; it is also unusual in that the flowers open in the evening and close by morning. This species blooms in late summer and is sometimes known as “August Lily”.
While usually grown for ornamental purposes, all species of hosta are edible, and are grown as vegetables in some Asian cultures.
However, hostas may be toxic to dogs, cats, and horses if consumed in large quantities because some contain saponins. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Consider light when choosing a place to plant your hostas. While almost all hostas can handle full shade, some thrive in full sun. Varieties with variegated leaves will show the best color in at least part sun. However, these varieties may turn back to an all-green color in too much shade. Blue-leaf hostas prefer some shade and do better in cooler climates. Ideal sunny-spot hostas include deep green varieties. Be careful about placing these plants in full sun if the leaves have white coloring.
Temperature And Humidity
Spring and fall are the best times to plant hostas, but summer is okay if you water regularly. Those with bluish foliage require shade. Those with yellowish leaves can take some sun.
Watering
Water hostas as needed to keep the soil moist but not wet. Once established, hostas will tolerate occasionally dry soil, but they won’t survive long periods of drought. Deeper, infrequent watering is better than frequent shallow applications. When growing hostas in pots indoors, maintain a regular watering schedule to keep the soil moist.
Soil
Good soil is key. Plant hostas in moist, fertile, well-draining soil that contains plenty of organic matter and isn’t choked by any competing roots from nearby trees and shrubs.
Fertilizing
Proper feeding is one way to make hostas grow bigger. The best and easiest way to feed hostas is by adding a healthy layer of compost to the soil in the spring. This feeds nutrients into the soil and helps promote the soil food web. You can also feed hostas with a well-balanced organic fertilizer, applied after planting or when plants begin to come up in spring. But be careful not to get fertilizer granules trapped in the leaves, which can burn them.
Fertilizing hostas in pots is a bit more involved because the higher frequency of watering strips the soil of nutrients relatively quickly. Feed potted plants at the start of the growing season with a slow-release fertilizer. Feed biweekly with water-soluble fertilizer throughout the growing season. Stop feeding four months prior to the winter dormancy period to gradually harden off the plant.
Pruning
Pruning your plants, or cutting away dead or overgrown plant matter, is necessary in order to keep your plant alive—and pruning hostas is no different. Simply cut off all the yellow, damaged, or dead leaves. Make sure to remove these leaves at their root or the point where they start to emerge from the main plant. Be sure to throw away all unwanted scraps to decrease the likelihood of disease development.
Propagation
Because these plants are such quick growers, they can easily be divided and shared with friends. You’ll know your hostas need to be divided when they get too crowded and the center of a clump starts to die out. As a general rule, count on dividing the plants every three to four years to keep them at their healthiest. Some slow-growing varieties may need more time before they’re ready for division. You may be able to divide fast-growing varieties every two or three years.
The best time for dividing hostas is in the spring when the foliage emerges, so you have a better idea of where to cut. However, because hostas are pretty tough plants, you can successfully divide them in any season (except winter when the ground is frozen). Just give them plenty of water if you divide in the summer heat. Hostas can also be grown from seed.
How to Grow from Seed
Many hostas are hybrids that do not “come true” if you collect and plant their seeds. Some varieties are entirely sterile and don’t produce seeds at all. If you do collect and plant seeds from hybrid varieties, you should not be surprised if the resulting plants are different in appearance from the parent plant. Seeds from hybrid plants usually produce offspring that revert to the characteristics of one of the genetic ancestors. A hosta with variegated, ruffled leaves, for example, might produce offspring with plain green leaves.
But plant enthusiasts might still want to try this exercise, and it’s not hard to do. After the flowers have faded, pick off the mature seed pods and let them dry for a few days before breaking them open and looking for the seeds inside. The seeds can be stored until midwinter and then sown in containers filled with commercial potting mix. Barely cover the seeds with additional potting mix, moisten them, and place them in a fairly warm, bright location. Mist the soil daily until the seeds germinate, which usually happens within about three weeks. Once the seeds sprout, place the plants in a slightly cooler location where they get indirect sunlight, and continue to grow them until it’s time to plant them outside.
Pests and Diseases
Although hostas are typically not disease-prone, the downside to these versatile perennials is that they are preyed on by several pests. Deer and rabbits love to make a meal out of tender hosta plants. If you have a particularly special plant, cage it early in the spring so its new growth doesn’t become a salad snack for these critters.
Slugs and snails also can leave your hostas in tatters, so keep an eye out for any holes in the leaves, then seek out and destroy the slimy culprits. Hostas are prone to a few less noticeable fiends along with visible pests. Foliar nematodes have become a problem for hostas. Most common in the summer, these microscopic worms eat through leaf veins, which causes the foliage to yellow and eventually brown. Unfortunately, there is no known fix for foliar nematodes, and infected plants should be tossed to prevent spreading.
Another newer problem is Hosta Virus X. This tricky virus causes a mottling of the foliage that sometimes almost looks ornamental. In fact, before Hosta X was identified correctly, some varieties were introduced into the plant trade as having novel foliage, which was actually due to the virus. Send samples to your local extension office for testing if you see mottled leaves. If positive, discard the infected plants to prevent the virus from spreading to other hostas.
Potting and Repotting
Hostas in pots filled with ordinary commercial potting mix can grow quite well. There are no special potting requirements, but the container should be at least as wide as the mature plant’s foliage spread and have drainage holes. Remember that container plants are subject to temperature extremes, so you might need to shelter outdoor pots in cold frames or an unheated garage (or dig them down into garden soil) for the winter in cold-weather regions.
If growing hostas in pots indoors, give them a spot with bright indirect light and water them frequently—indoor winter air is usually quite dry. Remember that they will need a six-week chilling period at some point during the winter.
If desired, you can repot container-grown hostas at the start of the growing season in spring. Transplanting hostas might be necessary as the plant spreads over time, but many varieties can remain in the same pot for many years.
III. Uses and Benefits
- Ornamental uses
Hosta are commonly used as accent or specimen plants, in woodland gardens or rock gardens, in borders, and as edging plants, groundcovers or mass plantings.
They are commonly used in patio pots or smaller cultivars can be utilized as components in mixed containers. The flower spikes make fine additions to cut flower arrangements. When blooming they attract hummingbirds into the garden. These tough plants are also resistant to rabbit feeding.
- Other uses
Young hosta leaves are edible. Known as urui in Japan, they’re commonly boiled, fried in tempura, or eaten raw. The flavor is similar to lettuce and asparagus.