Plant care & info

Family: Agavaceae or Hostaceae

Genus: Hosta

Common Name: Hosta, also formerly called Funkia and Plantain lily.

Japan, Eastern China and Korea

In general, Hosta prefer moist, well-drained, cool soil–although they can be tolerant of a variety of conditions depending on cultivar. None of them like dark, dense shade. They enjoy protection from intense winds.

Hosta prefers to be watered under the leaves via a watering can or soaker hose in the morning. Usually, the more moisture available the more sun the plant can take. Blue-green leaves and white variegated leaves tend to do best in shaded places. Green to yellow leaved varieties tend to take more sun. Even the most sun tolerant varieties still prefer some shade.

Hostas are so easy to care for! Slug baiting and weekly water in summer is about all you need to do to keep these beauties looking good.

In the Portland area, plant hostas by October to give them enough time to settle their roots before cold weather sets in. They appreciate being lightly mulched in spring and autumn. Fertilizing is best done in spring to early summer.

They tend to multiply abundantly; dividing is not usually needed. Many people divide them in order to have more plants. Using two forks to pry large dug up clumps apart works well or you can divide by using a spade to remove a section of a clump in the ground. Dividing is best done in spring or in July/August (you will need to cut the foliage down if you choose to do it in summer). You can also divide in autumn in our area.

Attracts hummingbirds and bees, can be used for cut flowers or leaves, tolerates moist soils. Drought tolerant once established.

Slugs and snails are the biggest pest and make holes in the leaves. In rural areas, deer sometimes snack on hostas.

The variety of foliage colors, textures, and sizes mean that there’s a Hosta for every garden. In mid-summer, stems rise above the leaves bearing stalks of white or lavender, bell-shaped flowers. Some varieties have a lovely fragrance.

Clumps of this long lived perennial can be tiny or huge, grey-blue, green, or variegated and shade or sun tolerant. They can be planted in the ground or in containers, although Hosta elegans is best avoided in planters. In containers, large leaved types like more soil in the potting mix, while smaller leaved types like a soil-less mix.

Hostas pair beautifully with ornamental grasses, Hellebores, Bleeding heart and Heuchera.

Here at Portland Nursery in spring we often have nearly 50 kinds of hosta in stock! The lists below offer a few of our favorites sorted by commonly asked for traits. How to find the perfect hosta fit for you? Check out the lists below or come on in! We would love to help you select a hosta that will add character, beauty, and fullness to your garden.