Hosta Hosta
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- HOS-tah
- Description
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Most species of Hosta are grown for their large, striking foliage rather than their flowers, but Hosta plantaginea has large, white very fragrant flowers in late summer. Blue leaved forms require shade, while green leaved types can take more sun. These plants are frequently damaged (loved!) by deer and are slightly salt tolerant. Hosta spp. loves rich soils.
Propagation: Division early in spring as leaves emerge
Family name previously Agavaceae
Quick ID Hints:
- Acaulescent herb with parallel-veined leaves
- Petioles sheathing, sulcate, subpeltate
- Inflorescence scapose raceme, leafy-bracteated
- Corollas tubular abruptly bell-shaped apically
Perennial herbs 1.5-2.5' tall, clumping and mound-forming; rhizomes short, sometimes stoloniferous.
Numerous cultivars representing hybrida and various species; selections vary with foliage size and color, blooming time, floral color and degree of fragrance.
Blooming late summer to early fall; utilized in beds, under tall trees, pools, rock gardens, planters, edging, massing, naturalized areas; susceptible to leaf spotting, rots, slugs and chewing insects.
Full to partial shade; high organic content to soil
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Blue Mammoth'
- 'Francee'
- 'Halcyon'
broad leaved with blueish foliage - 'Ripple Effect'
wavy leaves - 'Super Nova'
- 'Twist of Lime'
- 'Blue Mammoth'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Blue Mammoth'
- 'Francee'
- 'Halcyon'
broad leaved with blueish foliage - 'Ripple Effect'
wavy leaves - 'Super Nova'
- 'Twist of Lime'
- 'Blue Mammoth'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Hosta
- Family:
- Liliaceae
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan, China, hybrid origin
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- shade, slightly salt tolerant
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are white or lilac. A scapose raceme bearing large leafy bracts and small bracts; leafy bracts often drying and persisting; inflorescence axis erect to spreading. Salverform-campanulate to funnelform; perianth tube narrow, abruptly flaring into a bell-shaped with 6 free lobes, white to anthocyanin pigmented.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Cream/Tan
- Green
- Variegated
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Hosta 'Ripple Effect' has wavy leaves that are a lighter green in the middle with a darker green outlining the leaves. Large, in a basal rosette, sheathing, fleshy, ovate to elliptic to oblong, acute, attenuate, entire, parallel-veined, green to variegated to reddish-purple; petiole elongate, sulcate, sheathing.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Salt
