Royal Standard Hosta
Hosta (Plantain liliy) is the perfect hardy and easy to grow plant for that shady to part shade garden area. Hostas are quite well-known and currently the most popular perennial in the United States. There are many different cultivars and come in a wide range of color, leaf shape, size and leaf texture. They come in solid colors ranging from grey, blue, and gold to all shades of green and many unique variegated combinations.
Depending on the cultivar, leaf shape can be cupped, circular, oval, heart or lance shaped so you have many choices. Hostas bloom in the summer with lavender to white spikes of lily-like flowers, however they are mainly grown for their beautiful foliage. Hostas are a herbaceous perennial which means they die down in the winter only to reemerge in the spring.
Hostas prefer partial shade with morning sun and afternoon shade. The Hostas we grow at the farm seem to thrive when placed in an area with a northern or eastern exposure.
Hosta with fern fronds
Hosta are great companions for early spring bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, snowdrops, crocus, anemones, and forget-me-nots. The large Hosta leaves will hide the spent spring foliage as summer approaches. Other companion plants that partner well with the Hosta are ferns, bleeding hearts, hellebores, hydrangeas and pulmonarieas. Nice summer companions are bright annuals such as impatiens, begonia, and the colorful coleus. Miniature hostas are perfectly suited to troughs while giant hostas make outstanding landscape specimens.
Guacamole Hosta
Hostas take 3 to 6 years for foliage to develop to a mature texture. If you desire additional plants, Hostas can be divided every few years. The best time to divide Hostas is in early spring as the “eyes” are emerging after winter dormancy.
We have 1 to 3 gallon size Patriot Hosta, So Sweet, Minuteman, Bressingham Blue, Abiqua Drinking Gourd, American Standard, Guacamole, Seiboldiana ‘Elegans’, Sum and Substance, and Variegated Hostas. Come see us and add beauty to your shade garden today.