Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Flower Growing Guides

[+] larger image

Hosta, Siebold

Herbaceous Perennial Flower

Hosta sieboldiana
Liliaceae Family

This large Hosta, with its heart-shaped bluish-green leaves and pale lilac flowers, makes a spectacular shade-garden specimen plant.

	Site and Plant Characteristics
	Growing Information
	Varieties

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:

part shade
full shade

Prefers part shade. Tolerates heavy shade. Full morning sun is usually beneficial.

Soil conditions:

requires well-drained soil
tolerates damp soil

In addition to being well-drained, soil must also be kept moist. If allowed to dry out hostas produce smaller leaves which turn brown and papery around the edges.

Hardiness zones:

3 to 8

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 2 to 3 feet

Spread: 2 to 4 feet

Bloom time: mid-summer

Flower color:

violet
white

Foliage color: blue-green

Leaves are bluish-green, heart-shaped, up to 15 inches long and 12 inches wide, and have 12 to 14 pairs of lateral veins.

Foliage texture: medium

Shape: cushion, mound or clump

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

Flower stalks are often hidden by the leaves

Special Considerations

Special characteristics:

non-aggressive
non-invasive
not native to North America - Japan

Growing Information

How to plant:

Propagate by division or separation - Divide in spring when the leaves are first coming up. Divide only if necessary, after the plant has matured in 4 to 5 years.

Maintenance and care:

Hostas are generally easy to take care of as long as they are given partial shade and lots of moisture.
More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Pests:

Slugs -- Remove dead leaves and weed around plants to reduce problems.
Black vine weevils

Diseases:

Leaf spot and crown rot -- Minimize moisture on leaves by avoiding overhead watering and watering early in the day so the leaves dry quickly.

Varieties

�Aurora Borealis�: gold markings on the foliage.
�Elegans�: steel blue foliage.
�Frances Williams�: blue green leaf blades with gold bands.
�Golden Sunburst�: golden yellow foliage.
�Helen Doriot�: very blue puckered foliage.
�May T. Watts�: Gold leaves with white margins.
�Northern Halo�: blue/green leaves with white margins.
�Blue Cadet�: dwarf with lavender flowers in late summer.
�Blue Umbrellas�: has lavender flowers with white edges.
�Krossa Regal�: foliage is silver/blue, thick and pointed.