Hosta-Plantain lily, Funkia

Hosta roots grow from corms, like bearded iris, so they are easily propagated however be aware deer love munching, as well as snails and slugs, Hosta so it’s best not to get disappointed. However if you have slugs ravaging Hosta place some diatomaceous earth around the plant because the sharp pieces poke holes in the slugs protective coating causing them to dehydrate and die. The best time to divide the rhizomes is in the fall, by carefully cutting the rhizomes with the edge of your shovel or trowel, and generally Hosta’s love deep shade but because there are hundreds of different varieties and colors, however the gold leafed variety is said to show its color best when planted in full sun. The green and blue varieties prefer deep shade. There are fragrant varieties as well and they too prefer sunlight to form their large flower heads. Although Hosta plants can outlive their owners they are not considered invasive and some varieties can grow as tall as 4 feet. Their leaf colors range from variegated, enclosed photo, to blue, green and variations with white or gold along the edges or inside veins and prefer a rich moist humus well drained soil with a neutral ph and blooms in early summer. If you want to check for specific varieties go to www.hostalibrary.org.