Hosta garden flowers. Hosta flower: description, photo, planting, care and reproduction

Hosta or funkia (Hosta=Fúnkia) is a perennial herbaceous plant with very beautiful foliage. There are about 50 species and many hybrid variations. This perennial can boast a wide variety of leaf sizes and colors, making it look great in flower beds. At the same time, the plant is unpretentious and frost-resistant. It is easy to plant and care requires minimal time. Thanks to this, the hosta is a popular inhabitant of gardens.

All hostas are rhizomatous plants with relatively large leaves (6-40 cm) on petioles, which form a basal rosette - a compact bush. The height of which can vary from 20 to 100 cm. The peduncle is long (sometimes up to 120 cm) without leaves, on which pinkish-purple, sometimes white flowers, similar to small bells, are located in the form of a loose one-sided brush. They bloom in different times in summer.

The main advantage of this plant is its leaves. They are very diverse:

shape: elongated lanceolate, round, heart-shaped;
color: blue, gray, yellow, cream, variegated and various shades of green;
texture: smooth or wrinkled, glossy or matte, with a slight waxy coating.

Gardeners love hosta for its unpretentiousness, ability to decorate even the most shady places, durability - it can grow for more than 20 years, becoming more magnificent every year. She gets along well with others cultivated plants, and its dense bushes do not allow weeds to grow.

Landing

Selecting a location

Many gardeners choose hosta, it is known as a shade-tolerant plant. IN wildlife it often grows in open sunny areas, in floodplains. Breeders have developed many varieties that love direct sunlight. Therefore, it is impossible to say unambiguously in which area of the host will feel best. The location should be chosen based on individual characteristics varieties.

But even shade-tolerant hosta varieties will feel unwell, get sick and, accordingly, look bad in the deep shade of trees and bushes. Best place for planting, which will appeal to most varieties of this plant - an area that is mainly shaded in the afternoon. The soil should be constantly moderately moistened. In the hot season, the large leaf blades of the hosta evaporate a lot of moisture, so if there is a lack of moisture in the soil, they will become thinner and acquire an unsightly brown color.

When choosing a planting site, you should also take into account the color of the leaves:

Dark green and bluish hostas will be happy with areas under pear trees, apple trees and other trees with a light openwork crown. Such a neighborhood will not create a hopeless shadow, but at the same time it will protect the leaves of the plant from sunburn.

Golden, white, yellow shades present in the color of the leaves indicate that the plant will feel good in the sun. However, not scorching either. It is better to choose a place for them where the sun will prevail in the morning, in the shade of low bushes or large flowers, so that in the middle of the day they shade the hosta from the scorching sun. The main thing is to find a middle ground. In the open sun, the variegated hosta will fade, but in constant shade, it will most likely become uniformly green.
Hosta is an excellent neighbor for a variety of flowers, such as fragrant violet, astilbe, primrose and many others. Contrasting plants look impressive: for example, yellowish-golden hosta and flowers with blue or purple petals.

Bedding

Planting and further caring for hosta will not be difficult even for a beginner in the world of gardening. Plants should be planted in the garden early spring, at the time of active growth of the root system, but before the leaves begin to grow. In some cases, hosta can be planted in the fall. It is better to do this in September so that the plant has time to take root well before frost. It is in the fall that it is recommended to divide and replant hostas Siebold and Tokudam - their root system is designed in such a way that autumn is the best time for this.

The hosta is undemanding to the composition of the soil. But in case of poor, infertile soils, it is advisable to enrich them with complex mineral fertilizers even before planting. The plant responds well to ash. Peat is added to sandy soils. This will maintain the soil moisture necessary for the host and prevent leaching. nutrients.

Planting material can be divided into two types: with an open and closed root system. As the name implies, in the second case the plant comes along with a lump of earth, while in the first case the root system is bare.

Plants with an open root are planted, carefully straightening the roots. With a closed one, place it in the hole along with a lump of earth. In both cases, the hole should be slightly deeper and wider than the root system of the seedling. Fertilizer is applied to its bottom. The growth bud should remain strictly above the soil level. After planting, the soil is compacted and the plant is watered.

Hosta propagation

Hosta can be propagated by dividing the bush, cuttings or sowing seeds.

Dividing a bush is the simplest and most reliable way propagate the plant. This procedure can be carried out at any time, but it is best to do it in the spring, before active growth begins, or at the very beginning of autumn, so that the divisions have time to take root well.

It should be taken into account that young hosts have a hard time with this procedure, so it is not recommended to divide specimens under 4 years old.

To do this, carefully dig up the bush and cut it into pieces with a sharp knife so that each of them has at least one growth bud. Then the divisions are planted on permanent place.

Cuttings are best done in the summer. To do this, use shoots with small leaves or rosette shoots with a piece of rhizome remaining after dividing the bush.

For such a cutting with a “heel,” we cut off part of the leaf (about 1/3), this will help reduce moisture evaporation. Then we plant it in a slightly shaded place and cover it glass jar.

Sowing seeds will allow you to immediately obtain large number plants. However, it should be taken into account: seedlings most often do not retain the varietal characteristics of the mother plant. It is advisable to treat the seeds with growth stimulants before sowing. Sometimes they even carry out stratification.

In early April, hosta seeds are sown for seedlings using light, disinfected soil. The crops are only lightly sprinkled with soil mixture and placed in a slightly shaded place for germination. You can cover the crops with transparent film. After about 20 days, shoots should appear. Then, after the first true leaves appear, the sprouts dive. And with the onset of warm days, seedlings begin to harden.

Sometimes in May hosta is sown directly in open ground, mulching the planting.

When growing hosta from seeds, please note that the plant can achieve the necessary decorative effect only after 4 years.

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Pests and diseases

Hostas are relatively disease resistant. But if there is excessive dampness, gray rot may appear; any fungicide and reduced watering will help to cope with it.

The main damage to hostas is caused by slugs. To fight them, use various traps or special chemicals based on metaldehyde, for example “Thunderstorm” (“Meta”).

Sometimes hosts are affected by nematodes. In this case, the diseased plant must be urgently removed and burned. Specimens infected with viruses that manifest themselves in unnatural leaf spotting are also subject to destruction.

Garden slugs

Caring for a shade-loving beauty

General care requirements

Hosta is undemanding in care, but in order for it to show its beauty as fully as possible, you should create comfortable conditions for it.

Regular moderate watering. Hostas are considered moisture-loving, but they do not tolerate dampness. You need to water at the root, without getting on the foliage, especially for leaves with a waxy coating, as their decorative effect may suffer.
The root system of the hosta is superficial and can be damaged when loosened, so it is advisable to use mulching ( pine sawdust, crushed bark, grass, peat), retaining moisture and looseness of the root circle.
Since young hostas are planted in fertile soil, they do not need fertilizing during the first years, especially with periodic mulching. Subsequently, they are fed 2-3 times during the summer, using liquid or granular complex fertilizers. From August, fertilizing is stopped, as the plants need to prepare for winter.
You will need to pull out weeds around young plants, but as they grow, they themselves will get rid of “uninvited neighbors.”
First, young flower stalks need to be cut off so that your bush does not “fall apart.”
After 4 years the hosta will need to be divided and replanted. This will rejuvenate the mother plant and provide new planting material.
Hostas are quite winter-hardy plants and do not need shelter. It is not necessary to cut off the leaves for the winter, since by spring they will have already rotted and will serve as additional fertilizer.

Autumn work

In the fall, hostas are replanted, pruned and covered for the winter. The plant is actively growing, so its colonies need to be planted. It is better to do this in the fall. If everything is done correctly, the bushes will begin to grow in early spring.

The mother plant is dug out of the ground, the roots are cleared of soil. On a large root you need to find roots with sprouts or dormant buds. They are the ones that need to be separated from the mother plant. Treat the cut areas with crushed coal to prevent rotting. Many varieties of hosta reproduce more efficiently by rosettes.

The main thing in autumn transplantation is to guess the moment. It is necessary that the seedling has time to take root well in place before the first frost. Therefore, it is better to do this in early autumn rather than delay it.

Pruning is necessary to keep the plant healthy. Under the leaves that have withered and fallen to the ground, various pests will hide from the cold, including slugs that can harm the plant. Therefore, the leaves must be trimmed after they have turned brown, but before they have had time to lick. When this happens, the pests already have time to take refuge in the upper layers of the soil. The optimal time is after the first frost. Pruning is carried out carefully, close to the ground, trying not to damage dormant buds.

After removing the foliage, it is necessary to loosen the soil around the bushes - this will destroy pests hiding in the upper layers of the soil. To prevent their reappearance, the surface is treated with Metaldehyde.

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Preparing for winter

You should think about wintering while the plant is flowering. To protect plants from frost until next spring, it is best to cover them with spruce branches on top. In the spring, remove and treat the soil around the bushes for pests.

Under no circumstances should you feed the plant in the fall - this risks causing it to freeze. The last feeding of the season should be done before mid-August. In the second half of October, you can mulch the soil under the bushes with organic compounds - this will no longer act as a fertilizer, and at the same time will help keep the plants from freezing. Will fit sawdust, peat, dried grass, etc. To prevent pests from infesting the mulch layer, it is advisable to sterilize and treat the material with tobacco dust (garden slugs especially do not like it) or with the drug Fitosporin-M, which is effective against bacterial and fungal diseases.

This modest in its beauty and unpretentious plant has long won the hearts of many gardeners. Growing hosta is easy and a pleasure. At the same time, it goes well with many other plants, and therefore rightfully takes its place in a wide variety of flower beds and gardens.

The green beauty rightfully takes its place of honor. This perennial captivates the hearts of gardeners with its unpretentiousness and excellent compatibility with other plants.

Hosta (Hosta), also known as Funkia, belongs to the herbaceous perennials. It represents the Asparagus family, although until recently it belonged to the Liliaceae family. The culture owes its first name to the doctor and botanist of Austrian origin Nikolaus Hosta, and the second to the German botanist Heinrich Christian Funk.

Scientists have described up to 40 of this plant. Hosta originates from East Asia. It is very moisture-loving, so it is found in the wild near streams and along river banks. For the Japanese, this flower is considered sacred, and the petioles are a local delicacy. When the hosta was brought to England, the residents of Foggy Albion were not impressed. The Americans treated it completely differently, making it one of the most popular in the New World.

Hosta from seeds at home

Host and flower pot. Regardless of where you plant the resulting seedlings, it is worth learning the tricks of sowing hosta seeds. The disadvantage of this method lies in the poor germination of seeds, which is only 70-80%. Therefore, to use this propagation method, you should treat the seeds with a growth stimulant before planting. By placing them for just half an hour in products such as Kornevin, Aloe Juice, Zircon or Elin, you can increase the percentage of germination.

Among gardeners, there is also the practice of stratifying seeds to increase the percentage of germination, when the seeds are placed in a cold place (for example, the vegetable department of the refrigerator) and kept there for 1 month.

An important factor is the sterility of the prepared soil substrate. Various microorganisms and fungi contained in the soil greatly harm seedlings, causing diseases and death of young shoots. That is why it is recommended to purchase the substrate in specialized stores. It contains a balanced mixture of vermiculite, perlite and peat.

When to sow hosta seedlings? In the spring, at the end of February-March, the pots are prepared by treating them with medical ethyl alcohol or a weak concentration of potassium permanganate. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot, supplemented with substrate and moistened. Leave it for a while so that the soil is well saturated with water, and only then sow the hosta, spreading the rather large seeds over the surface of the substrate as rarely as possible.

The same ready-made substrate is used as a powder on top. Its thickness should not exceed 5-7 mm. To ensure moisture retention, the pot is pulled plastic film or cover it with glass. Make sure that the soil temperature at the time of germination is between +18 and 25 °C.

Following all recommendations allows you to expect the first shoots in two to three weeks. It is important to remember that direct sunlight, excessive watering and excess condensation plastic film harmful to plants. It is better to keep the pots indoors where there is light shade. And only when the first shoots appear, it will be necessary to provide them with good lighting.

With the formation of the first two true leaves they begin. The seedlings are planted in separate pots, in which a quarter of the soil consists of sand. These pots are placed in a tray filled with water in order to provide them with bottom watering.

Until the water moistens the top layer of soil, the pots cannot be removed from the tray. At the next stage, the picked seedlings are hardened. To do this, remove the film and expose the host to air, the temperature of which should be above +18 °C. Seedlings with this type of propagation grow slowly and almost always lose the characteristics of the variety.

Planting hostas in open ground

How to choose a place to plant hosta. Choosing a location is the main thing you need to pay attention to when planting hostas. By planting a flower in one place, you can enjoy its beauty for twenty years, even without transplanting. The choice of location is significantly influenced by the color of the hosta leaves. For varieties with bright leaves containing white and yellow inclusions, choose areas that are more illuminated, since they are light-loving plants.

For hostas with variegated leaves, it is very important that shade falls on it at midday, while in the morning and evening it needs good lighting. Regarding blue varieties, then they grow only in shaded places and almost do not need sunny presence. The size of the leaves of a flower directly depends on the shade. The more intense the shading, the larger the leaf blade and the taller the bush. But at the same time, the hosta grows very slowly.

The only thing that not a single variety of flower likes is drafts. The soil for planting should be loose, well-drained, nutritious and have a high degree of moisture. Its pH value is neutral or slightly acidic.

If the hosta is planted in the spring, then the ground is prepared in the fall. To do this, the area is covered with a ten-centimeter layer of organic matter and dug up. Over the winter, everything will rot and after spring frosts, somewhere in early or mid-May, it will be possible to plant the plant in the ground.

How to plant a hosta, watch the video:

Hosta planting rules

The distance between the holes depends on what type of plant is planted in the ground.

For hostas from the small and medium-sized group, it is enough to make holes at a distance of 0.3-0.5 m.
Giants require an increase in distance to 0.8-1.0 m.

To make the transplant successful, do it in pots in advance. Move it into the ground along with a lump of earth from the pot. Sprinkle soil on top and compact it around the plant so that the ground level in this place is a couple of centimeters lower. If the hosta is planted by dividing the bush, then dry leaves and damaged roots are removed from each division, adding mulch in the form of crushed bark to the root area.

Hosta propagation by dividing the bush

Hostas begin to be divided after the flowering period or before active growth begins. To do this, you should dig up the bush well so that there is enough space around the root. Use a shovel to pry up the root from below and take out the bush. Divide into several parts with growing points, cut the leaves at a height of 10-15 cm so that only petioles remain, and plant them as independent plants. You can leave 2-3 leaves to control the growing season.

Hosta rooting takes approximately four weeks. Delenki bush in 2-3 years will become full-fledged bushes. They are planted, keeping a gap of 20-30 cm between the bushes. When planting, the holes are made wider, since the roots grow in a horizontal plane. The planting depth is not changed. At the end of the work, the hosta is thoroughly moistened. No later than mid-September, planting is completed so that the autumn cold does not interfere with the rooting of the transplanted plants.

How to divide the hosta, look at the video:

How to properly care for hosta

Garden work to care for the crop is kept to a minimum. If during planting all the rules for preparing the soil were followed, then for the first three to four years the hosta does not need to be fed at all. In subsequent years, humus or compost is added under the bushes every fall. Mineral granules can be scattered once a season over the area after rain. Until mid-summer, liquid fertilizers are applied to each bush.

Feeding for a longer period of time leads to the growth of hosta leaves, and not to preparing it for winter. In summer, the soil around the hosta is constantly moistened. If the tips of the leaf blades begin to darken, it means the plant does not have enough moisture. When watering, do not spray water over the hosta, as this will damage the leaves. It is better to spend a long time early in the morning. Direct a quiet stream under the root.

To make the bush look attractive and not fall apart, remove the flower stalks in time. The hosta needs loosening the soil and weeding from weeds only in the first period, until it has become stronger and has grown. Every 3-4 years the flower is divided. To do this, dig it up and separate the young cuttings from the root so that the flower does not grow too much.

Hosta diseases

Americans associate the appearance of diseases in hostas with a large number varieties in one area. Frostbitten bushes often develop the fungal disease phyllosticosis, which looks like brown-yellow spots on the leaf blade.

Peduncles are at risk of fungal infection Phyllosticta aspidistrae Oud. To combat it, one method is used: complete removal of the bush, followed by burning it and disinfecting the soil.

Among the diseases, gray rot - Botrys cinerea, which affects leaves, and sclerotinia - Sclerotinia, which envelops the root collar like cotton wool white mold and destroys it, are distinguished. Fungicides are used against gray rot, and Dichloran is used against sclerotinia. The main pests of flowers.

Slug is one of the main hosta pests. Traces of its vital activity, and these are holes on the leaves, become immediately visible and reduce the visual attractiveness of the plant. To combat this pest, small flat containers are used into which beer is poured. Slugs love these places where they are collected and then destroyed.

With the advent of a new growing season, larvae will hatch from the eggs and the radius of damage to plants will increase. You cannot avoid the invasion of insects such as caterpillars and grasshoppers, for which one night is enough to turn a healthy plant into an unsightly bush. Only pesticide treatment can help cope with this scourge.

Hosta after flowering Preparing for winter

If the flower stalks were left, then after flowering the hosts remove them. At the very beginning of autumn, plants begin to prepare for winter. To do this, the area with the hosta is moistened abundantly, the bushes that have grown over the summer are dug up and divided, leaving one or several rosettes of leaves on each part.

To insulate a plot of land with hostas for the winter, mulch it with sheet soil. First of all, this applies to those flowers that grow under big trees. This action solves several problems at once, such as insulating the hosta and feeding it. Mulching helps to raise the level of the flower bed, which has a positive effect on soil drainage.

Description of hosta Photos of compositions in garden design

Hosta serves as an excellent background for other flowers and can decorate any garden composition. The plant has very remarkable leaves: they are large and, depending on the variety, have an original color.

It grows very quickly, forms entire plantations and after four years of growth reaches the peak of its attractiveness. Absolutely all types of crops do not have a stem and have a herbaceous structure.

Its rhizome is compactly thickened and has many branches in the form of cords, which allow the plant to stay firmly in the ground.

On a long, unleafed peduncle, rising high above a rosette of leaves, there are flowers collected in neat brushes. They can be white, bluish, pink, purple, simple or terry.

Usually the flowers of shade-loving plants do not have visual appeal, but with hosta flowers everything is exactly the opposite. They are truly beautiful, collected in one-sided racemose inflorescences and have a funnel-bell-shaped or funnel-shaped appearance.

The fruit is a leathery triangular capsule containing numerous seeds. The main advantage of the plant is its leaves. They are basal, have a lanceolate or heart-shaped shape, smoothly turning into a point at the tip of the leaf.

The veins are clearly visible along its entire length. The color of the leaves deserves a separate topic of discussion. It completely depends on the variety, varies and can be a shade of green, white, yellow and even blue.

Several colors can be combined on one sheet in the form of spots, strokes, or stripes. The texture of the leaves can be wrinkled and waxy, glossy and matte, with a metallic tint and simply wrinkled.

What size is the host?

The average height of the hosta is 55 - 80 cm, although dwarfs, up to 15 cm high, and giants, which reach up to 1.2 meters, are also cultivated.

Varieties and types of hosta with photos and names

Let us briefly introduce the varieties of hosta with photos and names. The culture is widely used in the design of landscape areas due to the diversity of species. Selection work has borne fruit. Now there are more than 4 thousand hybrid hosta varieties. Several species were taken as a basis, which laid the foundation for varietal diversity.

Swollen hosta Hosta ventricosa

Up to 0.5 m high, leaves pointed at the end, for example the Thomas Hogg variety.

Wavy hosta Hosta undulata

Reaches 75 cm in height, its leaf blade has a wavy edge, a white center and a green border, as if applied with strokes. An example is the hosta Undulata Mediovariegata.

Tall hosta Nosta elata Hylanger

It grows up to 0.9-1 meters, its rather large size glossy leaves are cast in a dark green color. A typical representative is the Tom Schmid variety.

Hosta Sieboldiana Hosta sieboldiana

60 centimeters high, has deep veins. Elegans variety.

Curly hosta Hosta crispula

Curly hosta Hosta crispula variety ‘Thomas-Hoog’ photo

Rarely exceeds 0.5-0.6 m in height, with wide dark green leaves edged with a white stripe. An example is the Dream Weaver variety.

Plantain hosta Hosta plantaginea

Half a meter tall, has bright glossy green leaves. Royal Standard variety.

Hosta fortunei Hosta fortunei

Hosta Fortune Hosta ‘Fortunei Aureomarginata’ photo

It also does not grow more than 0.5 meters, has green leaves with a cream edging. For example, the hosta albopicta variety.

The classification of varieties is also based on:

leaf color;
sheet size.

Depending on the color of the leaf plate, varieties are divided into 5 groups:

Blue hosta (blue hosta (B)) - its leaves have a bluish-gray tint.
Yellow Hosta (Go) is a yellow-leaved plant.
Green hosta (Gr) - united all green-leaved hosta.
Hosta variegata (V) - varieties with variegated leaves and all those that have a white edge.
Hosta mediovariegata (MV) is a light-leaved variety with a green border around the edge.

According to plant height (size), the division is into the following 6 groups:

The dwarf group Draft (D), unites all species below 10 cm, such as Blue Mouse Ears with bluish leaves resembling mouse ears.
Hosta is miniature, Miniature (Mini), its height is in the range of 10-15 cm, for example, the La Donna variety with bluish-yellow-green leaves.
The small hosta Small (S), with a maximum height of 16-25 cm, is exemplified by the variety Gold Tone with green leaves and stripes of white or yellow, and Headsmen Blue with bluish-green leaves.
Hosta of medium size Medium (M, Med), growing up to 30-50 cm in height, its representatives are the following varieties: Night Before Christmas, with white center and a wide dark green stripe along the edge, So Sweet, its green leaves edged with a white and cream stripe, White Feather is a unique white hosta that changes its color to green after a certain amount of time.
The group of large hostas Large (L), reaching a height of 0.5-0.7 m, is represented by the following varieties: Alvatine Taylor, in which a yellow-green border runs along its bluish-green leaves, Golden Meadows with crinkled round golden leaves in the middle dotted with pale green streaks and bordered by a wide green stripe.
Giant hostas Giant (G), over 70 cm tall, for example, the Blue Vision variety with green-bluish leaves and Sum of All, which has a green center of the leaf and a wide, golden border.

Any amateur gardener seeking to create an original design on his site has to carefully consider the choice of plants. Considering that the garden cannot contain only flowering plants, plot owners need a beautiful background, distinguished by lush decorative foliage. To do this, they look for unpretentious flowers with lush greenery.

Hosta enjoys an undoubted advantage among other plants. The variety of varieties and types allows you to fully realize your wildest design fantasies. garden plot, transforming it beyond recognition.

Khosta: description

Perennial with a not very developed rhizome, the main advantage of which is leaves of a wide variety of sizes, colors and shapes - this is the beautiful hosta crowned by gardeners.

An ornamental deciduous plant, resistant to cold, grows well in the most shaded areas. Textured foliage is ideal for arranging all kinds of bouquets, which is adopted by experienced florists. This is a universal plant for any gardener - both beginner and experienced, which does not require special care. These plants look great on the banks of ponds and artificial garden ponds, in flower beds and rocky gardens. The hosta has bell-shaped flowers in the form of decorative brushes, but it seduces the owners of the plots with its lush greenery, unique coloring and original shape of the leaves, which sometimes have a waxy coating. After flowering, the plant continues to delight with greenery until the onset of cold weather.

Where does the host come from in the garden plot?

Gardeners have recently paid attention to an ornamental plant with beautiful leaves. Before this, hostas were found primarily in botanical gardens. Beautiful flowers were not the main advantage of the plant; leaves with a wide variety of colors and shapes looked more attractive. The aristocratic plant has become a popular perennial in shady gardens and parks across the country. Japan and China, the Far East and Korea are considered the birthplace of this plant. Hostas, actively cultivated in the gardens of Japan for three millennia, became widespread in Europe during the time of Leonardo da Vinci.

The plant, beloved in the Middle Ages, is forgotten over time, and only in the last century, thanks to the development of microclonal propagation, is it remembered again. With the advent of new varieties, flowers that are attractive to gardeners appear, hosta becomes popular again and firmly secures the title of “queen of the shady garden.”

The flower owes its name to Thomas Host, a 19th-century physician and botanist from Austria. However, you can hear that hosta (functionia) is named after H. G. Funk, a pharmacist from Germany.

What attracts host landscape designers?

When designing a site, you have to think about the combination of plants with each other, an acceptable proximity that will not irritate the eye with its inconsistency. Particular attention must be paid to the choice of plants when garden and ornamental trees have grown and significantly shaded the area with their spreading crowns. Not every plant can live in the shade, because for most it is destructive. The best option in this case is the host.

Landscape designers love to use these flowers in the design of plots; hosta grows very quickly, which makes it possible to fill the space and create a beautiful green background.

It also looks good in mixed borders. Excellent compatibility with flowering perennials and annuals, various grasses and ferns, small-bulbous plants and decorative foliage. Hostas look gorgeous on the alpine slides and next to decorative fountains. The plant is versatile and allows for variability, fitting perfectly into any style. And height various types varies from 5 to 100 cm, allowing you to luxuriously decorate the space, filling it everywhere.

A strong argument in favor of a hosta placed on the site is its durability, which allows you to enjoy contemplating it on your site for up to 30 years.

Types and varieties of hosta

It is necessary to know how these plants are grouped in order to provide the correct proximity. Hostas are beautiful flowers with more than two thousand varieties, from which you can choose the right ones, and they will delight gardeners with their appearance for decades. The functions vary greatly in size, so this parameter is decisive for identifying groups:

less than 10 cm - Miniature, miniature (Mini);
up to 25 cm - Dwarf, dwarf (D);
up to 40 cm - Small, small (S);
up to 60 cm - Medium, medium (M);
up to 90 cm - Large, large (L);
up to 150 cm - giant (XL).

Another parameter by which these plants can be classified is color:

blue - these plants are distinguished by a bluish-gray waxy coating (Grand Master, Blue Cadet, Stenantha, Love Pat);
variegated are hostas with a border of light shades: yellow and golden, beige and white;
green - plants with a variety of shades of green (Green Fountain, Lancifolia, Royal Standard, Invincible);
mediavariegated - the leaf of such hostas is light (cream, white or yellow), and the border is dark green;
yellow - these include all hostas with yellow leaves.

The arrangement of the leaves of the plant also helps to distinguish their individual subgroups: with leaves up, flowing and horizontal.

It should be noted that medium-sized and small plants have the most variegated colors, while large and medium-sized ones are often blue and green.

The flowering of hostas is of little interest to owners. Most often, they try to get rid of buds due to the disruption of the shape of the bush, which loses its attractiveness and falls apart. The exception is varieties of plantain funkia with inflorescences having the finest aroma, vaguely reminiscent of lily, lilac and violet.
Variegated hostas: Volwerine, Middle Ridge, Great Expectations, Gypsy Rose, Patriot, Spilt Milk.

Light or shadow? Which is better?

One of the main advantages of the plant is its shade tolerance, which makes the hosta attractive to gardeners. Therefore, the best planting location is partial shade or shade, and after flowering, the decorative properties are completely preserved. But it must be remembered that for some plants even a sunny place will be suitable for planting, but there is a risk of losing varietal properties: size, color and shape of the leaves. Required condition For successful growth, it remains to provide shade on a hot afternoon, then the hosta will grow well. The leaves turn yellow and the plant gets burned under the scorching sun. It would be wise to plant a sun-loving perennial flower or bush on the side.

It has been noticed that light-loving hostas have yellow and white stripes or spots. These are most often flowers with a white border on the leaves. Varieties with yellow leaves are characterized by good tolerance to both light and shady areas. But for blue varieties, only shade is needed, it is in it that they will be preserved. amazing properties and the waxy sheen of the leaves. In a heavily shaded area, hostas will grow more slowly, but they will delight you with spectacular and large leaves, and the plant will be larger in height.

How and where to choose planting material?

Planting flowers is a serious matter, and the choice of planting material should be approached responsibly. To be on the safe side, you should purchase bare roots from a store or garden center. It is better if they are sprinkled with sawdust or peat, because they can be seen immediately. To avoid rotting, it is necessary to remove them from the mixture for a thorough inspection. If there are rotten fragments, they must be cut off. Roots acquired dry at the end of winter - beginning of spring should be placed in the cellar or in the refrigerator, in the fruit compartment, where the temperature will range from 0 to 4 degrees.

In the case when the buds have hatched and begun to sprout, but it is too early to plant in the ground, dip the root in a solution of potassium permanganate or Epin and plant it in a pot with loose soil. The pot is placed in a cool place, and watering is carried out from the pan. And such hostas are planted in open ground only in late spring - early summer, so that all frosts are behind them.

When purchasing plant roots in April-May, you can safely plant them directly into the ground, deepening the buds by 3-5 cm. But it is best to buy hostas from collectors in the fall and transplant them from soil to soil immediately.

How to transplant correctly?

Even a novice gardener can cope with transplanting such unpretentious plant, as a host. This is just a godsend for busy people who daily care care of the plant is kept to a minimum. The most favorable time for transplantation is spring. With the appearance of new shoots, you can begin replanting. The plant easily tolerates summer replanting, taking root easily. In the fall, they are replanted a month before the onset of cold weather, this will allow the plant to take root and take root. You need to know that some varieties only allow autumn transplant, because in the spring their root system does not develop. This applies to the Siebold and Tokudam varieties, as well as their hybrids.

The plant is not capricious, therefore it is undemanding to soil, but preference is still given to humus loams, which are provided with a sufficient amount of moisture, but do not allow it to stagnate. If the soil is poor, then add humus, sawdust, sand and mineral fertilizers. Soil acidity should be maintained at an average level.

Before planting, the area of the garden where the plant is planned to be replanted should be watered several hours in advance.

A drainage layer is poured into a hole 40 cm deep, the roots are straightened and, avoiding voids, sprinkled with fertile soil. Then everything is watered generously. The root collar should remain at soil level, the roots should be covered with a layer of peat. When mass planting, the size of an adult plant is taken into account. The distance should be maintained for large specimens - 1 m, for medium plants - 50 cm, and for dwarf species - up to 20 cm.

What are the features of cultivation?

Amazing hosta flower! Care is required intermittently, which is important for busy owners. The plant responds with vigorous growth to the application of fertilizers. This procedure is best done in the fall.

To obtain luxurious flowers, you should take into account the characteristics of the hosta type, maintain the distance between plants, and replant on time. It is not recommended to allow the area to become waterlogged, as this will cause the roots to rot. There is nothing difficult in caring for this plant. It is unpretentious and responds with gratitude to the meager attention of the gardener.

How to care for hosta in the garden?

Planted in semi-shaded and shady corners of the garden, the hosta looks ideal both alone and in various combinations. The varieties that creep along the ground look luxurious, covering the ground around tree trunks with a green carpet and preventing weeds from sprouting in other areas of the garden. Artificial reservoirs and alpine coaster without this, the plants would look sparse.

To obtain a lush plant and abundant flowering It is necessary to maintain moderate soil moisture and apply fertilizers on time.

To preserve the appearance of the plant, some gardeners very often remove buds and arrows. But there are also lovers of flowering specimens. Thus, the white-flowered hosta Grandiflora has large inflorescences that exude a scent reminiscent of violet or lilac. Planted in a row along the alley, these plants will please lush flowering in the afternoon. In this species, when flowering, the shape of the plant will not be damaged, and the bush will not fall apart.

Propagation by seeds and cuttings

To grow a plant from seeds, you need to take only fresh hosta seeds. Seeds kept in moderate cold for three months produce vigorous shoots. But you can expect a full-fledged bush only in the fourth year.

Most gardeners prefer propagation by cuttings. This is best done in spring or late summer. Even the smallest cuttings grow very quickly. Young rosettes with small leaves will ideally take root in a new place. After planting, cuttings require abundant watering, shading and spraying at first. Such a plant will live in one place for decades, so at the moment should be taken into account when planning the site. Cut off cuttings at the fracture site are treated with ash.

Features of watering and fertilizing

Moisture-loving plants will thrive near a pond, but moisture stagnation should not be allowed. Watering should be regular. When replanting a plant, you need to water it daily for the first 2 weeks. Mature plants with a well-developed root system are watered once a week. Watering stops a month before the onset of cold weather.

Plants should be fertilized with a slowly soluble granular complex fertilizer. Fertilizing is done twice per season.

Organic fertilizers in the form of humus should not be overused in the heat, because the roots can swell. Feeding is also required for the foliage, nourishing and protecting them from burns.

If necessary, you can use growth stimulants - Zircon and Epin-Extra.

Carefully! Pests

Like every plant, hosta also has enemies.

A rainy summer threatens an invasion of slugs, which can significantly damage the plant. Superphosphates, tobacco dust and ash scattered in a strip near the plant will not be to the liking of pests.
Nematodes can attack plants. Swellings on the leaves indicate their presence. Having discovered this, the plants are disposed of. For prevention, before planting, you can place the roots, cleared of soil, for half an hour in water (70 degrees) with the addition of potassium permanganate.
Leopard spotting of leaves cannot be cured. The viral disease will destroy the plant and spread to neighboring flowers, so the bush is uprooted.

Description and features of the hosta flower

Hosta flower perennial, which can serve as an excellent decoration for any site. The main highlight hosts not in its flowering, but in its large and luscious foliage.

Its leaves may be different shapes and have every possible shade. The leaves can be either green or blue, with a golden tint or even striped. In September, the leaves become yellowish-golden and this amazing color will last until the first frost.

Hosta is popularly called the “queen of shadows” and there is a reason for this. After all, this particular flower loves more shady areas. It will grow great there. Hosta is considered very popular in the USA. Numerous professional and amateur gardeners want to purchase it.

Hosta has many positive aspects. It is not whimsical and feels great in shady places in the garden. It is not for nothing that the hosta ranks first among the favorite annuals. Every year it grows and becomes more magnificent and attractive. Its foliage takes on a brighter color and gains power.

The photo shows a hosta flower can once again prove its superiority and beauty. Many people prefer hosta leaves to complement any landscape arrangement.

Hosta flower in the garden will be able to perfectly complete any composition. Hosta in the garden behaves like a queen among the rest and plants. People have been breeding hostas for a long time; thanks to breeding, completely new varieties are obtained. There are about 2,000 varieties of this flower in America.

Hosta Flower Types

Plantain hosta is the most popular. The foliage is large, rich green. During flowering, the flowers slightly resemble white bells. Suitable habitat is damp and shady places.

In the photo, plantain hosta

Green Fontaine - leaves are large, bright green in color. The length of such leaves is up to 8 cm. The flowers are not large with a lavender tint.

Hosta Green Fontaine

White-edged Marginata - the leaves are green and their edges are white. It will look great as a decoration in the garden. The flowers of this variety are white, but can also have a tinge of lilac or purple.

In the photo the hosta flower is white-edged Marginata

Hosta flower varieties

Hosta flower varieties They have a wide variety and are able to satisfy every consumer’s taste.

The night before Christmas - The leaves are compacted green, they are decorated with white stripes in the middle. The flowers are a beautiful lavender color. This hosta grows up to 50 cm high.

Hosta Flower The Night Before Christmas

Alex Summers - large from the outside looks like a vase. The leaves are fleshy, green with a blue tint, and the edges are golden. lilac shade.

Hosta Alex Summers

Allegan Fog - emerald green leaves with a white center. The variety is distinguished by the fact that its leaves are twisted. The flowers are lilac in color, the height of the peduncle is up to 40 cm.

Allegan Fog hosta

Ann Kulpa – leaves are green. There is a cream stripe in the middle of the leaf. Flowers can be white or lavender.

Ann Kulpa

Atena - foliage is an elegant bright green color and on each leaf you can see a unique pattern.

Host Atena's photo

Atlantis – green leaves framed with a yellow border. The foliage has an elongated shape and sharp tips. It can feel good in the sun.

In the photo there is a flower of the Hosta Atlantis

Moon of August - in the spring the leaves are green, and then they turn yellow. The flowers are white.

Hosta Moon of August

Avocado has convex leaves. Their color is golden-green. quite large.

Hosta Avocado in the photo

Wavy Queen - wavy leaves. Their color is green-yellowish. Has a lavender hue.

Hosta Wavy Queen

Planting and propagating a hosta flower

commit planting a hosta flower preferably at the end summer season or in September. Planting a hosta plant is quite simple. It's important to find suitable place. The first rule is shady places. Hostas are not at all picky about soil, but they like it to be moist.

Very often, hosta is planted using the method. In March-April you need to plant hosta seeds in a container or pot. The seedlings will show their first spouts in approximately 3-3.5 weeks.

Young ones should not be placed in open sunny places. At the end of summer it can be planted in a permanent place of residence, open ground. Hosta is usually propagated in three ways: dividing an adult bush, by seed or by ordinary cuttings.

Dividing the bush. You can start propagating the hosta plant by dividing the bush in early April, when the first shoots appear, or in early September.

The mother bush is carefully divided into small bushes, and then each bush is planted in an earthen hole (the soil must be watered before planting). The depth of such holes is recommended to be no more than 20 cm. The planting must be watered for the first few days.

Seed method.Hosta seeds will germinate in the near future. It happens that some germinate earlier and others later. After new and young leaves appear, you can safely plant them in open ground. For planting, you should choose dark seeds; they have good germination.

Hosta cuttings.It is recommended to start this propagation method at the end of spring. Only young shoots of the flower are taken for cuttings. At first, in a new place, the cuttings may be overworked, as adaptation takes place. After a few days, the leaves will begin to grow vigorously.

Hosta care

Host flower care It's not a complicated procedure at all.

Hosta flower price

Hosta flower price depends on the varieties. You can buy them in flower shops, family supermarkets, or you can order them online. Approximate price for one seedling will range from 180 rubles to 400 rubles. They are also actively sold at flower markets and in a network of specialized stores.

What flowers go with hostas?

The many-sided hosta will look great in a landscape design with heucheras. Heuchera has red leaves and they will look even richer next to green hostas.

Decorative hostas will look good next to a slide. Very often they are planted along borders or in a group with other perennials. Will look good next to hosts coniferous trees. They can create the perfect composition together with phlox and.

Decorative flowers, herbs and other plants, such as lungwort, will look good next to hostas. Grains (reed grass or miscanthus) are often used for decoration. It is also recommended to plant plants with orange and yellow flowers or leaves next to the hosta.

Preface

Over the past 2-3 years, the decorative shade-loving perennial - hosta - has become very popular in Canada and the USA. Our landscape designers also picked up this trend. But it turns out that our mothers and grandmothers have long known and loved the plant; for us it is not a visiting fashionista, but a familiar modest one who decorates the gardens in a secondary role. Planting and caring for different varieties of hosta differ significantly, so a novice gardener needs to know the nuances before purchasing this or that type of flower.

Features of growing hosta

Hosta is a herbaceous perennial of Asian origin, which became a common decoration in our gardens 30–40 years ago. She is a close relative of the daylily, which many gardeners love for its unpretentiousness and ability to grow in the most unfavorable conditions. But in recent years in the official classification of hosta, or as it is also called, funkia is listed in the Asparagus family.

Looking at this diverse flowerbed, it is difficult to notice that all the plants here belong to the same species

Hosta is a real salvation for gardens with moist loamy soil and significant shading. In such ideal conditions, this plant covers the entire area allotted to it with a thick carpet of large green, light green, golden-yellow and even bluish-gray leaves.

Among perennial herbs, hosta is considered a long-liver, because its age can reach 25 years or even more. The rosette reaches its peak of decorativeness at the age of 4–5 years, and by 8–10 it manages to become even more beautiful, displaying varietal nuances. It’s nice that even at the ripe old age of 30, this plant retains its beauty.

Decorative capabilities of the plant

In landscape design, hosta is valued for its incredibly diverse large decorative leaves, wide crown, and shade tolerance, which is unusual for ornamental plants. Hosta flowers appear in summer and autumn; these are modest inflorescences in the form of several bells on a common stem. The color of the petals is lilac, sometimes dark purple or white.

Funnel-shaped bells are the standard hosta bud shape.

Breeders have paid special attention to hosta foliage - different varieties will provide you with a range of dozens of crown shades, and the shape of the leaves can be elongated, oval, heart-shaped with almost imperceptible or prominent veins.

The hosta's natural habitat is river banks, so it looks harmonious and grows well next to decorative ponds, fountains, swamps, and streams. At the same time, the hosta is combined with any other moisture-loving inhabitants of the site and does not inhibit the growth of other crops. If the soil of your site is moist enough, you can use hosta to edge borders, emphasize the bends of garden paths and border recreation areas, but it is important not to allow its roots to grow too much to the sides.

Hosta is just perfect for edging a pond

The main function of hosta in landscape design is to fill empty space and create a background for more ornamental plants. But often giant plants are used in single plantings with the addition of driftwood or gravel. In shady corners you can create compositions from different varieties of hosta. Thanks to the variety of varieties of this plant, such groups will not be boring.

Fluffy hosta and tall ornamental plants- an ideal combination for a flower bed

If you want to play in contrast, dilute the hosts with sedge or cereals. These plants will perfectly highlight each other’s features.

In addition to planting in open ground, hosta is often grown in a tub. Its lush crown looks great in tall narrow pots, creating an interesting decorative contrast. This good way out for those who want to grow low-growing or dwarf hosta in areas with harsh climates, for example, in the Krasnodar Territory.

The hosta tub should have the properties of a thermos to prevent the roots from freezing in winter. To do this, the plant is planted in a small pot with the obligatory addition of water-retaining materials to the bottom of the container (construction perlite is suitable). This tub is installed in the main, decorative one and the space between them is filled with any construction heat insulator. In such a container, the hosta can winter without problems and is not afraid of overheating of the soil in summer.

Hosta is not very suitable for gourmet landscape design, but fits perfectly into more democratic styles - landscape, Japanese. In addition, by choosing a suitable tub, you can turn this modest plant into one of the highlights of the garden.

Thanks to the proximity of hostas and sedum, a modest mixborder looks more advantageous than a pink bush

The problem of decorating shady corners has become one of the most pressing for me when planning a personal garden. It so happened that most of the free pieces of land in a small area were in the shadow of buildings. In the sunny zone, beds with tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs are firmly established, and the partial shade is occupied by berry bushes (I confess, interspersed with decorative ones at the expense of practicality) and a tiny flowerbed. Nothing wanted to grow in the shade except sneaky weeds. For some time I hoped to plant them with honeysuckle, but the light was not enough for her either. The barberry planted there for the occasion lost a fair share of its attractiveness because of this arrangement. If you have had similar problems, it will not be difficult for you to understand how delighted I was with my first meeting with hosta - a shade-loving (and not just shade-tolerant) ornamental and also a flowering plant. Literally on the same day, I scoured all the online stores and in the end, from the incredible variety of options, I chose a couple of varieties for myself - the spectacular First Frost and the more practical hosta with the unromantic name Bloated. It’s too early to plant - I’m waiting for sales to start and receipt of the parcel. But I already want to get started spring chores and give the host the opportunity to decorate an unattractive area near the utility unit. Judging by the statements of the store's consultants, happiness is just around the corner.

Video: hosta in flower beds

What climate is this function suitable for?

In nature, hosta is found in warm-temperate climates. climatic zone(China, Korea, Japan), in the southwest of the Far East, the Kuril Islands and on Sakhalin Island. It is interesting that the Japanese plant funkia not only for decoration, but also use the shoots for food.

Despite the fact that hosta came to us from Asia, the climate of the middle zone is simply ideal for it. She feels great in rainy, cool summers and is able to successfully survive a moderately harsh winter. The cold resistance of the crop allows it to be successfully grown in middle lane Russian Federation, but for more northern regions it is worth choosing varieties more carefully or preferring cultivation in a tub. Important: the hosta, even in containers, will not live in the house; for normal development it needs a change in warm and cold periods.

It is difficult for hosta to tolerate dry air, constant and strong sunlight, decrease in soil moisture. Therefore, in regions with a sharply continental climate, it does not grow so luxuriantly and requires more careful care. If you are trying to grow a hosta in the Kuban, you will have to work hard to create acceptable conditions for it.

Mulching - great way ensure the host is stable high humidity soil

The hosta is not picky about soil pH and adapts to both excessive acidity (pH 6–6.5) and alkalinity (pH 7.5–8). But breathability and the presence of nutrients are important, so a green pet cannot do without loosening and feeding. Dense clay and dry sandy soil are destructive for hosta; in such conditions, even large varieties become smaller, and when insufficient watering or stagnant water die.

Popular varieties with photos

Gardeners do not need to know the plant assortment in detail, and even botanists are often confused about the hosta pedigree. But it is important to distinguish some features that indicate the capabilities and needs of your chosen culture. For example, plants with dense, variegated leaves are bred for sunlit areas and light partial shade, while a dark, delicate crown with thin leaf blades is characteristic of varieties that love shade and can get sunburn due to contact with direct rays.

For landscape design, it is also important to consider the size of the plant. According to the official classification, hosts are divided into miniature (Mini - up to 10 cm), dwarf (D - 10–15 cm), small (S - 15–25 cm), medium (M - 25–45 cm), large (L - 45 –70 cm) and giant (G - over 71 cm). Having seen such a letter marking on the planting material label, you can determine the possible height of an adult plant.

The most interesting varieties:

Sum and Substance - This is a giant hosta with a light-loving habit that is unusual for this species. The height of the plant reaches 85–90 cm with a diameter of 200 cm, and the size of an individual heart-shaped leaf is often 45x38 cm. Suitable for zoning a site and single plantings;
The Sum and Substance bush is so huge that a child could be hiding among the leaves of an adult plant.
Abiqua Drinking Gourd (Abiqua Drinking Gourd) is a medium-sized plant, height up to 35 cm, diameter up to 40 cm. It stands out for its cup-shaped, slightly wrinkled leaves with noticeable veins and tubular white flowers. Very disease and slug resistant. Prefers acidified soil;
The blue bowls of Abiqua Drinking Gourd leaves will definitely not get lost among the greenery
Undulata Albomarginata (Albomarginata, Wavy) is a large plant (height up to 60 cm) with elongated pointed leaves with a light edge. Blooms in July-August with purple buds. Tolerates frost and sun well, but prefers partial shade. The soil should be slightly acidic or neutral;
Undulata Albomarginata looks great next to varieties with monochromatic foliage
Albopicta (Albopicta, Fortune) is a large hosta (up to 70 cm) with pointed light green leaves with a dark edge. Young leaves are the lightest with a yellow center; by the end of summer they gradually darken to completely green. The variety grows well in sun or partial shade and is recommended for filling shady areas. Survives frosts without shelter;
Even without flowers, Albopicta is not inferior in beauty to other ornamental plants
Aureomarginata (Aureomarginata) is a light-loving variety, the height of the bush reaches 65 cm. The leaves are wide, light green with a beige edging. The color of the crown depends on the lighting - it gets darker in the shade. The flowers are lilac or purple with a pronounced aroma. A fast-growing perennial, it reproduces well by division;
Aureomarginata perfectly highlights the beauty of conifers
White Feather (White Feather, White Feathers) is a large plant (up to 50 cm) with unusually light foliage color. The crown is yellowish-beige with pale green veins, the leaves are narrow and elongated. As the leaves mature, the blade is completely filled with greenery. The perennial blooms later than the varieties described above - in July-September. The variety is shade-tolerant, easily tolerates frost, and unpretentious;
White Feather bush looks like one huge flower
Blue Angel is a large hosta with a characteristic bluish-green crown. The leaves are evenly colored, but slightly wavy and textured due to the abundance of parallel veins. The plant looks good in single plantings and prefers partial shade. The flowers are almost white, slightly lilac before opening, and form a rather dense cone-shaped inflorescence. Grows well in the city, is not demanding on the composition of the air;
The Blue Angel bush will easily prevent the appearance of weeds in the flowerbed
Bressingham Blue - hybrid variety, bred as a ground cover. The shape of the bush is vase-like, the leaves are wide and wavy, the flowers are white. Prefers well-fertilized soil, does not tolerate dampness, is drought-resistant and winter-hardy. Grows best in partial shade, suitable for planting in a container;
Bressingham Blue is best seen against greener foliage.
Brim Cup (Brim Cup) is a medium-sized variety (up to 40 cm) with variegated foliage. The central stripe of the leaf blade is olive green, the sides are pale yellow or white. The flowers are soft blue, turning white as they open, appearing in June-July. Not picky about soil, winters well. Used in mixborders, borders, flower beds;
It is difficult to find leaves with more decorative colors than those of the Brim Cup hosta.
Sieboldiana Frances Williams (Siebolda Frances Williams) - variegated variety with a light green border irregular shape. The flowers are white, the height of the peduncle is up to 60 cm. Prefers acidified soil with slight waterlogging. Used in mixed group plantings, ridges and borders, as a tapeworm;
Sieboldiana Frances Williams will become one of the largest herbaceous perennials in your garden
Canadian Blue (Canadian Blue) is a medium-sized hosta (height up to 50 cm) with dense oval-wedge-shaped leaves, a bluish coating is noticeable on the plates. Prefers shade or partial shade, fades under direct rays. Blooms with lavender buds in mud-August. Grows moderately, don't wait quick recovery after reproduction by division;
One of the main decorative components of Canadian Blue is a waxy coating, which gives the leaves a bluish color.
Undulata Mediovariegata (Mediovariegata) is a wavy hosta with variegated erect leaves. The color of the plate is triple - white middle, light green edging and medium green edge of the sheet. The flowers are small and bright pink. Prefers loose, nutritious, slightly acidic soil with moderate moisture. Loves shade; in partial shade the foliage acquires a uniform color. This is one of the old (1930) and highly resistant varieties;
This curly beauty will easily enliven shady areas of the garden
Patriot (Patriot) is another medium-sized variety of hosta that does not suffer from excess light. The leaves are dark green with beige edges. The flowers are lilac and bloom in July-August. Used in shady areas near ponds, in mixborders and group plantings;
Patriot will not get lost even among tall flowers
Fire and Ice (Fire and Ice) is a hybrid dwarf variegated variety. Winter-hardy, demanding on humidity conditions. Prefers sunny places, but can be used in shady garden. Suitable for rockeries, group plantings;
Little Fire and Ice is a real highlight of the rockery
Halcyon (Halcyon) is a medium-sized hybrid funkia with a bluish-green crown. Flowering period July-August, flowers are pale lilac. Grows quickly, especially in the shade. In the light, the leaves lose their blue tone. Unpretentious to soil and companion plants;
Halcyon variety is well suited for growing in pots
Elegans (Elegance) is an old giant variety, bred in 1987. The leaves are dense with a waxy coating, not afraid of slugs. The flowers are white and have no scent. Growth is moderate, but the plant reproduces well by self-sowing. Hosta Elegans is winter-hardy and undemanding, loves shade.
Elegans leaves are one of the most popular options for bouquets.

It is important to consider that fashionable varieties are quite expensive, especially if breeders have given the hosta uncharacteristic features. Therefore, before you shell out a round sum for your favorite specimen, think in detail about where you can plant it, how suitable the conditions of your site will be for this plant, and how much time you will have to spend on care. Perhaps sometimes you should prefer a more modest, but hardy and unpretentious variety.

Video: variety of funkia varieties

If your hosta with yellow leaves suddenly turns green, it means it is suffering from lack of sun. Perhaps you transplanted it to a less favorable place or shaded it with another plant. Hosta with blue foliage can turn green either from a lack or from an excess of light.

Planting methods

You can bring hosta to your site for the first time in the form of seeds, cuttings or particles from an adult plant, and if you buy them in a specialized store - in the form of a young plant in a container (usually also obtained by cuttings or in a test tube from the meristem). All these methods are well known to amateur gardeners and most of them prefer division or its subtype - propagation by rhizomes.

The more expensive and decorative a varietal hosta is, the slower it grows. Therefore, it is not worth propagating valuable plants by division, as this will only prevent them from reaching the desired size and fully expressing their beauty. It is better to prefer cuttings.

Many summer residents successfully divide and plant hostas from early spring to mid-September, but if you have not yet divided your own hosta, it is better to perform the first procedure at the very beginning of spring or at the end of August. And the Tokudam and Siebold varieties can only be separated in the fall.

Video: propagation of hosta by dividing the bush

Rhizomes

The rhizome of the hosta is branched enough so that a fragment can be separated from it without damaging the plant. For replanting, select a section of rhizome with 2-3 growth buds and well-developed lateral roots about 10 cm long. If you buy planting material, make sure that the roots are alive and elastic; dried and brittle ones will not take root. Also pay attention to the presence of mold, rot, strange stains and growths that indicate disease. Such a plant needs to be treated, not propagated.

The rhizome fragment for planting should not be too small

Rhizomes for planting can be stored in winter in a cool place without access to light. It is enough to place it in a light-proof container or bag and put it on the balcony, in the basement or just in the refrigerator. The main thing is to make sure that the temperature in the chosen place stays within 5–10 degrees above zero.

Hosta can be planted in both spring and autumn. In the spring, it is better to do this before the first leaves begin to bloom on the planting material, then they will take root successfully and will delight you good growth. Autumn planting is carried out in warm times, in late August-early September, since in a cooler period it will be difficult for the plant to take root.

Choose a place to plant hostas based on the color of the leaves. Green varieties love strong shading more than others, variegated ones grow well in partial shade.

Hosta does best in raised beds.

Cuttings

Young shoots of hostas with heels are chosen as cuttings. The leaves are cut to half or a third of their length, and it is better to immediately select a shoot with small short-petioled plates. After the roots appear, they are planted using the usual cutting method and additionally shaded. Watering is not carried out, only spraying. For the first 2-3 days, the leaves of the cutting may look lethargic and droop, but do not despair - by the end of the week they will definitely return to vigor. It’s just that at this time the sprout was busy rooting and did not have enough strength to grow the crown.

If you are unable to grow plants from cuttings this way, try increasing the dose of the growth stimulator

Seeds

Hosta seeds remain viable for up to one year, but for successful germination it is better to use freshly harvested ones. At the end of April they are placed in pots with soil mixture or planted in a garden mini-greenhouse at the beginning of May. With proper shading and timely irrigation, the first shoots will appear in 20–25 days. After this, the seedlings will need to be rid of weeds and provided with comfortable humidity and temperature regime. Young rosettes will be ready for planting in a permanent place in August.

Hosta seeds have good germination even without additional stimulation

Vegetative methods are the easiest way to propagate hostas. Growing seedlings from seeds requires much more effort to germinate and grow the crop; varietal characteristics are often not preserved, and to achieve decorative effect a young plant will need at least 4 years (for comparison, divided bushes look beautiful after 1–2 years).

Instructions for planting hostas

Regardless of how you received the planting material, you need to adhere to the following methodology:

Dig a hole with a diameter of 50 cm and a depth of 30 cm. If you plant several plants nearby, provide a distance between them of about 0.3–0.4 m for large-leaved varieties and 0.2–0.3 m for dwarfs, since the hosta tends to grow in width.
The holes do not have to be placed in a row; a chaotic order is also suitable for filling a flower bed.
Prepare a soil mixture of equal parts of compost soil, rotted manure and peat, as well as a small amount of sand. Acidic soil should be neutralized a little by adding a handful of wood ash(it has an alkaline reaction). Fill 60% of the hole with soil mixture and water it generously.
It is best to pour the ashes both into a recess and onto an earthen ball with roots.
Carefully place the planting material in the hole and carefully straighten all the roots (if you do not plant the plant with a lump of earth). Fill the hole with the rest of the soil mixture so that the growth buds are at ground level and again spill the soil generously. If you are planting a divided bush, you need to bury the material to the same depth at which the mother plant grew. It is usually easy to identify by the appearance of the stem.
Until the plant secure the plant in correct position use your hands only, then you can add soil with a shovel
Mulch the root circle of the seedling with bark chips or other selected material. Optimal thickness layer - 1–2 mm. It is advisable to choose a prickly mulch so that slugs cannot get close to the young plant

The hosta will take root completely only after a month, and the first two weeks require daily watering.

Video: secrets of growing and caring for the host

What care is needed

Hosta is very moisture-loving, so it will never refuse watering, preferably under the roots of plants. But in the evening, especially after a hot day, it is worth giving the host a shower - at this time, drops on the leaves do not threaten her with sunburn. But if the root circle of the plant is well mulched and the plant is not planted on dry soil, the need for watering arises only during the driest period. With proper irrigation, the soil is saturated with moisture to a depth of 10–15 cm, and the stream of water does not compact the soil.

When watering with a hose, use a spray nozzle.

Hosta also prefers three meals a day:

in early spring, usually in April, when the first leaves bloom, it needs organic matter (leaf soil, compost, rotted pine bark);
during flowering, most often at the end of May, mineral fertilizers are required (Sodium, Phosphorus and Potassium in equal quantities or 1:2:1 proportions);
Immediately after flowering ends, in the first weeks of July, you need to add organic matter to the soil again. After mid-July, it is best to stop fertilizing, since due to abundant growth the plant will not have time to slow down metabolic processes and prepare for winter.

Hosta does not need a special dosage, just follow the instructions on the packaging of the chosen product. Study the label carefully - fertilizers can vary greatly in the concentration of active ingredients. It is best to feed plants after rain or very heavy watering of the area. Remember: granular fertilizers can cause burns if they come into contact with leaves, so it is safer to use solutions.

If you are a beginner gardener, you should use specially prepared complex fertilizers and not use untested folk remedies

The poorer the soil on your site, the more often you will have to fertilize the hosta. And vice versa - on naturally nutritious soil, it grows almost without care.

Many gardeners in the fall mulch a circle of earth around the hosta with a layer of leaf or compost soil up to 5 cm high. This procedure allows you to add needed by the plant fertilizers and at the same time provide aeration. But it is recommended to carry it out only for plants that have reached 3–4 years of age.

Another important stage in hosta care is regular loosening of the soil, which must be carried out throughout the growing season. As already mentioned, hosta roots grow wide at shallow depths, so you need to be extremely careful during the procedure.

After the flowers dry out, the flower stalks lose their decorative effect and need to be removed

Those who value the decorative appearance of the hosta should also take care of removing faded inflorescences, as they look unattractive. If you want the bush to quickly grow in width, do not let it bloom - pinch off the stalks as soon as the hosta throws them out.

How to prepare a plant for winter

In the middle zone and in the south, the hosta usually overwinters on its own, using its own dried leaves as protection from the cold. In more northern regions, especially if a thick enough snow cover does not form in winter, it is necessary to build a shelter for the plant.

If your winters aren't too harsh, just let the hosta take shelter under its leaves.

On a dry day, dig the plant in a circle and scatter mulch from dry peat, rotted sawdust, and mown grass. You can sprinkle tobacco dust or phytosporin on top of these fertilizers so that the hosta is not bothered by slugs in the spring. After such preparation, you can cover the bush with any breathable heat insulator, from agrofibre to spruce branches. Usually such shelter is sufficient even for a harsh winter.

Video: wintering hostas

When a plant is not happy

Hosta is practically not susceptible to diseases and pests (with the exception of slugs), so if it starts to dry out, the reason usually lies in improper humidity or light conditions. Try to see if too much sunlight hits the leaves and if the soil above the roots is drying out. Darkening of the tips of hosta leaves is a clear marker of lack of moisture. If watering and shading do not bring results, the plant may suffer from attacks by the black weevil. In this case, use specialized product from pests.

Brown stripes on hosta leaves are a sign of damage to the roots by nematodes. Rotting of the leaves from the tip to the middle indicates the appearance of gray rot. These scourges can also be eliminated by chemical treatment. If the leaves become unevenly variegated, yellow spots appear on the dark plates, then you will have to get rid of the plant - it is infected with a virus.

Delicate flowers named after the goddess of love, hosta, unfortunately, will not be able to bloom in every garden

Sometimes novice gardeners are disappointed when they buy a variety with beautiful flowers, in particular - “Aphrodite”. One of the important features of this variety is its heat-loving nature. The short summer of the northern regions does not allow it to even fully open its flowers and the buds die off immature. Therefore, before purchasing, be sure to check whether a particular variety is suitable for your climatic conditions.

Some summer residents, following the example of other perennials, try to transplant a 5-6-year-old hosta to a new place. But this plant lives much longer than others, so it can easily remain in one place for 10 years or even longer. If your hosta is drooping after transplanting, don't worry too much - most likely it was not yet ready for such stress. When abundant watering does not bring results, add a little growth stimulator to the daily portion of water.

One day, a friend of mine complained that the hosta that had been living with her for several years suddenly began to wither and by the summer she was completely sad. The owner tried to increase the volume and frequency of watering, but this did not help much. Then it turned out that previously, during the hottest time of the day, the hosta was protected from the direct rays of the sun by the shade of a tree that grew near the neighbors. The leaves of her hosta are variegated; such varieties tolerate indirect sunlight well, so such protection was quite enough for her to actively grow. But that year, the neighbors suddenly decided to build a gazebo and cut down the tree, so the hosta lost the necessary support. As soon as the situation was resolved, the friend carried the poor thing into the shade of the house, and the plant soon came to life.