hosta

A perennial native to China and Japan; striking leaves up to 45 cm/18 in long, lance-shaped to broadly oval, often variegated or bluish; flowers tubular, violet, or white, in spike-like inflorescences; also known as plantain lily. (Genus: Hosta, 10 species. Family: Liliaceae.)

For other uses, see Hosta, Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

iHosta
Hosta Bressingham Blue, a Hosta cultivar
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family: Agavaceae Genus: Hosta Tratt.
Species
Hosta albofarinosa Hosta capitata Hosta cathayana Hosta clausa Hosta fluctuans Hosta gracillima Hosta hypoleuca Hosta ibukiensis Hosta jonesii Hosta kikutii Hosta kiyosumiensis Hosta longipes Hosta longissima Hosta minor Hosta montana Hosta nakaiana Hosta nigrescens Hosta plantaginea Hosta pulchella Hosta pycnophylla Hosta rectifolia Hosta rupifraga Hosta shikokiana Hosta sieboldiana Hosta sieboldii Hosta tardiva Hosta tibae Hosta tortifrons Hosta tsushimensis Hosta ventricosa Hosta venusta Hosta yingeri

Hosta (syn.: Funkia) is a genus of about 23–40 species of lily-like plants native to northeast Asia. Many varieties formerly described as species have been taxonomically reduced to cultivar status, while retaining Latin names resembling species (e.g.

They are herbaceous perennial plants, growing from corms or rhizomes, with broad lanceolate or ovate leaves varying widely in size by species from 3–40 cm long and 2–30 cm broad. Leaf color in wild species is typically green, although some species (e.g. The only strongly fragrant species is Hosta plantaginea, which is also unusual in that the flowers open in the evening and close by morning.

Cultivation and uses

Though Hosta plantaginea originates in China, most of the species that provide the modern shade garden plants were introduced from Japan to Europe by Philipp Franz von Siebold in the mid-19th century. Popular cultivars include 'Francee' (green leaves with white edges), 'Gold Standard' (yellow leaves with green edges) 'Undulata' (green leaves with white centers), 'June' (blue-green leaves with creamy centers), and 'Sum and Substance' (a huge plant with chartreuse-yellow leaves).