Hosta, a plant for shade

Partager

0

Hosta is a perennial plant that displays cute discrete flowers from spring up to the end of summer, but its foliage is what makes it noteworthy.

Key Hosta facts

Name – Hosta
Family – Liliaceae (lily family)
Type – perennial

Height – 8 to 32 inches (20 to 80 cm)
Exposure – part sun and shade plant
Soil – rather rich

Flowering – May to September
Foliage – deciduous

Both in pots or in the ground, it is easy to care for and will quickly appeal to you for its numerous qualities.

Planting hosta

The first thing you should know is that hostas have a repugnance to having too much sun or heat.

• For container-purchased hostas, plant preferably in spring.
  Keep a distance of about 16 to 20 inches (30 to 40 cm) between plants.
  Eventually upgrade your soil with conditioner such as manure and seaweed and blend them in with soil mix.
• Propagate through crown division in spring or in fall every 3 to 5 years.

Pruning and caring for hosta

Hosta requires little care.

• No pruning is formally required.
• Care is minimal, it is a plant that is very easy to grow.

Watering hosta

Hosta, being a shade or part shade plant, fancies cool soil but scorns excess moisture.

• Avoid abundant watering to keep the soil from getting too wet.
  Go for regular but moderate watering.
• For pots, shorter intervals between watering sessions are needed in summer to keep the soil a bit moist.

If slugs invade the hosta

Slugs frequently overrun hostas because they are attracted to the leaves and shady environments.

• The quickest and most adequate treatment is to spread slug-killing granules derived from Ferramol.
  It is the most organic method.

All there is to know about the hosta

Forming very beautiful oval and multi-colored leaves, hosta also puts forth cute white flowers that can sometimes be violet-blue.

Fast-growing, it even has a tendency to spread, which makes it a splendid ornamental ground cover.
It will also merge perfectly in landscaping projects in flower beds or garden boxes.

Among the most renowned varieties one can find:

Blue Angel, France Williams, Honeybells, Wide Brim, Golden Tiara, Fire and Ice, Francee, Undulata and Golden Sunburst.
Read also about perennials:

• Propagate your perennials through crown division