Hosta
A garden where all plants flourish is every
gardener’s dream. A plant that will help
you achieve that goal on the prairies is the versatile, long lived hosta. Most of the hostas with which we are familiar
were introduced from Japan but they are also indigenous to China and Korea. With over three thousand named varieties the
choice is almost overwhelming. While
leaf colour is mostly limited to green, blue green and yellow, with some
variegation of each, the choice of leaf texture and shape, and size (10 cm-120
cm x 15cm -150 cm) is a veritable buffet.
Often when people think of hostas they usually
think of two things, shade and slugs.
While it is true most hostas will grow in full shade they tend to be smaller
in both plant and leaf size and the colour of the leaf may be affected by a
total lack of sunlight. The amount of light a hosta requires varies with the
variety. Ideally hostas prefer filtered
light or semi shade. The gold coloured hostas can generally tolerate a few
hours of sunlight. It is true that
hostas attract slugs; however there are a number of hostas (‘Sum and Substance’,
‘Halcyon’, ‘Liberty’, ‘June,’ ‘Sagae’) that have leaves of thick substance and therefore are more resistant to slug damage than thin-leafed hostas.
Hostas function well as elegant ground
covers, edgers and stunning accent plants.
They attract hummingbirds, and can mask the foliage of aging bulbs. As a decorative foliage plant they offer many
design advantages in the garden. Some of
the newer cultivars offer the additional bonus of being fragrant (‘Avocado’,
‘Cathedral Windows’ ‘Emerald Charger’, ‘Fried Bananas’). Propagate by dividing in early spring and
plant in moist, fertile, well drained soil.
Deer are not the only living creatures that
enjoy nibbling on hostas. In Japan and
China some varieties are served as a delicacy.
Not only are the leaves, shoots or petioles edible but the flowers are
as well. Best to do your research before
adding them to your appetizer repertoire.
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