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Scientific Name:
Hosta cvs.
Pronunciation:
HOSS-tuh
Common Name:
hosta, plantain lily
Family Name:
Asparagaceae
Plant Type:
Flowering cut plant, Ground cover, Herbaceous perennial
Key ID Features:
Clump forming; leaves basal, most blades 10-30cm long x 7-25cm wide, cordate, with heavy curved parallel venation towards the apex, margins entire; flowers funnel shaped, 3-6cm long x 2-5cm wide, 6 tepals, stamens curved upwards, raceme+peduncles 40-80cm long; capsules 2-3cm long x 5-8mm wide.

Habit:
Arching, Spreading
Form:
Mounded
Texture:
Very coarse
Mature Height:
0.4 - 0.7m
Mature Spread:
0.6 - 1.0m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Garden origin
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun only if soil kept moist, Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade, Deep shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Humus rich
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Cut flower or foliage, Ground cover, Group or mass planting, Perennial border, Specimen plant, Summer interest, Waterside planting, Woodland margin
Additional Info:
Google. Over 5000 cultivars (those on campus are listed at bottom of page).

Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Basal
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Heavily veined, Parallel venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Bluish, Green, Green-yellow, Yellow, Silver / Grayish, Nearly White, depends on cv.
Colour in Fall:
Yellow, Brown
Shapes:
Ovate
Apices:
Acuminate
Bases:
Cordate
Margins:
Entire
Additional Info:
Leaves variegated, most with long petiole

Inflorescence Type:
Raceme
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
3
Corolla Shape:
Funnelform
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Violet, Pink
Flower Scent:
None, Fragrant
Flower Time at Peak:
Jul, Aug, Sep
Additional Info:
6 tepals, florets mostly pendulous and on one side of scape

Fruit Type:
Capsule, Aborted (hybrids) or absent
Fruit Colour:
Green, Brown, Black
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Showy, Persistent

Bark or Stem Colour:
Additional Info:
Peduncles green and smooth
Organ Modifications:
Fleshy monocot roots, Leaf-like bracts, some form stolons or rhizomes
Propagation:
Seed, Division - below ground parts, Tissue culture
Pest Susceptibility:
Beetles or weevils, Nematodes, Slugs or snails (Disease resistant)
Specific Pests:
Deer

Course(s):
  • CLT Training
  • HORT 1155
  • Level 1 Apprenticeship
Location(s):
  • (CGW)  Community Garden West : cv. Gypsy Rose
  • (GAZ)  GAZebo
  • (GAZE)  GAZebo East
  • (GAZN)  GAZebo North : cvs. Gold Edger, Frances Williams, Sum and Substance, H. sieboldiana
  • (HPZ)  Horticulture PlaZa : cvs. Color Festival, Liberty, June
  • (MCF)  Main Courtyard Fountain : cv. Blue Boy, H. sieboldiana
  • (ONE)  Overpass North side East : cvs. Patriot, Night Before Christmas
  • (ONW)  Overpass North side West : cvs. Chain Lightning, First Frost, Amalia, Brother Stefan, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Orange Marmalade, Rainbow End, Guacamole, Color Festival, Coloured Hunk, Amgelique
  • (PDW)  PonD West : cv. June
  • (PHA)  PolyHouse and Area
  • (PPL)  Pine PLanting : cvs. Aristocrat, Dawn's Early Light, Kiwi Full Monty, Gray Cole
  • (WLG)  WoodLand Garden : cvs. Halcyon, Invincible, Love Pat, June
Location Map