Week 22:

THE HOSTAS

I have been observing the plants in my garden during this current drought and taking note of those that seem to be tolerant to these dry conditions. One group that appears to be very drought tolerant despite having extensive leaf surface are the hostas.

I have hosta varieties that grow in the shade under trees and other varieties that grow in morning sun and all are showing little sign of distress due to dryness.

Hosta varieties can differ in size from miniature plants to large tropical looking plants with paddle shaped leaves. Larger growing hosta such as Sum and Substance can grow up to four feet tall and five feet wide. Hosta leaves come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors including those that are variegated in yellows, whites, blues and greens.

Hosta are generally grown for their foliage, but all will send up flower spikes during the summer season. Some gardeners remove the spikes immediately while others enjoy the whites and blues held high above the foliage. It is a good idea to remove the flower spikes before they past flower and litter the foliage below!