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Hosta
Also called Tracheophytes
Hosta is a genus of shade-loving perennials from northeast Asia, grown mainly for their decorative leaves, with thousands of cultivars. Give them shade, consistent moisture and rich soil.
Hosta (, syn. Funkia) is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies and occasionally by the Japanese name gibōshi. Hostas are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants. The genus is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, and is native to northeast Asia (China, Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East). Like many "lilioid monocots", the genus was once classified in the Liliaceae. The genus was named by Austrian botanist Leopold Trattinnick in 1812, in honor of the Austrian botanist Nicholas Thomas Host. In 1817, the generic name Funkia was used by German botanist Kurt Sprengel in honor of Heinrich Christian Funck, a collector of ferns and alpines. It was later used as a common name and is referenced in some older literature.
Hostas are widely cultivated, being particularly useful in the garden as shade-tolerant plants whose striking foliage provides a focal point. The plants are long-lived perennials that are winter hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 8 and recommended for heat zones 8 to 1. Though Hosta plantaginea originates in China, most of the species that provide the modern plants were introduced from Japan to Europe by Philipp Franz von Siebold in the mid-19th century originating from shady locations with more moisture than they are generally cultivated. Newer species have been discovered on the Korean peninsula as well. Hybridization within and among species and cultivars has produced numerous cultivars. The American Hosta Society is the International Cultivar Registration Authority for Hosta, and recognizes over 7,200 registered or reserved names.
Cultivars with golden- or white-variegated leaves are especially prized.
While usually grown for ornamental purposes, all species of hosta are edible, and are grown as vegetables in some Asian cultures. However, hostas may be toxic to dogs, cats, and horses if consumed in large quantities because some contain saponins. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea.
Narrowleaf plantain lily · Fragrant plantain lily · Siebold's Plantain Lily · Siebold's Plantain Lily · Blue plantain lily
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hosta by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
