hosta

Hosta (syn.: Funkia) is a genus of about 23–40 species of lily-like plants native to northeast Asia. They were once classified in the family Liliaceae but are now included in the family Agavaceae by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. The scientific name is also used as the common name; in the past they were also sometimes called the Corfu Lily, the Day Lily, or the Plantain lily, but these terms are now obsolete. The Japanese name Giboshi is also used in English to a small extent. The rejected generic name Funkia, also used as a common name, can be found in some older literature. Taxonomists differ on the number of species; as such, the list at the right may be taken loosely. The genus may be broadly divided into three subgenera. Interspecific hybridization is generally possible, as all species have the same chromosome number (2n = 2x = 60) with the exception of H. ventricosa, a natural tetraploid that sets seed through apomixis. Many varieties formerly described as species have been taxonomically reduced to cultivar status, while retaining Latin names resembling species (e.g. H. 'Fortunei').

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. Variation among the numerous cultivars is even greater, with clumps ranging from less than 10 cm across to more than 2 m across. Leaf color in wild species is typically green, although some species (e.g. H. sieboldiana) are known for a glaucous waxy leaf coating that gives a blue appearance to the leaf. Natural mutations (sports) of native species are known with yellow-green ("gold") colored leaves or with leaf variegation (either white/cream or yellowish edges or centers).

The flowers are produced on an erect panicle up to 80 cm tall; the individual flowers are usually pendulous, 2–5 cm long, with six tepals, white, lavender, or violet in colour and usually scentless. The only strongly fragrant species is Hosta plantaginea, which is also unusual in that the flowers open in the evening and close by morning. This species blooms in late summer and is sometimes known as "August Lily".

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. Newer species have been discovered on the Korean peninsula as well.

Hostas are widely-cultivated ground cover plants, particularly useful in the garden as shade-tolerant plants. Hybridation within and among species and cultivars has produced numerous cultivars, with over 3000 registered and named varieties. Cultivars with golden- or white-variegated leaves are especially prized. 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). Newer, fragrant cultivars such as 'Guacamole' are also popular. Pictures of hosta species and cultivars, along with other information, may be found at http://www.hostalibrary.org.

The American Hosta Society and the British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society support Hosta Display Gardens, often within botanical gardens.

Hostas are notoriously a favourite food for deer, slugs and snails, which commonly cause extensive damage to hosta collections in gardens. Otherwise they are easy long-lived garden plants, relatively disease free, requiring little care other than occasional division to maintain the desired size of the clump.

Reference

• Pink, A. (2004). Gardening for the Million.. Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.