How to Grow and Care for Hostas (Plantain Lilies)

Hosta spp.

It’s easy to see why hostas are some of the most popular perennials on the market.

They’re practically foolproof to grow; come in a massive array of sizes, patterns, and colors; and can adapt to a range of conditions.

Yes, they are beloved for their foliage, but they also send up spikes of flowers that are sometimes heavily scented and can be quite showy.

The tall flower spikes rise above the foliage in shades of purple, pink, red, yellow, lavender, and white.

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They are actually quite pretty, even though they don’t get as much recognition as the leaves.

The flowers are especially noticeable when a particular cultivar is planted in mass groupings.

Whether you need a little help with your existing hostas or you’re looking for something new for your space, we’ve got your back. Here is what we’ll cover in this guide:

Hostas have been cultivated in China, Japan, and Korea, where they grow natively, for centuries.

They’ve been around so long that they are one of the oldest perennials out there. In the 1700s, they were imported to Europe where cultivation efforts expanded.

From there, they traveled across the Atlantic to the United States. The first mention of hostas in the US was in 1839, in The American Flower Garden Directory.

Back in the day, they were called plantain lilies or funkias, but you rarely hear those names these days.

Today, there are 42 recognized species, and over 8,000 named cultivars and hybrids. Most hail from plants that originated in Japan.

Hostas are incredibly varied. The texture of the leaves can be glossy, waxy, matte, or anything in between.

Leaves range from totally smooth to heavily wrinkled. The foliage can be nearly white to deep dark green or even blue, and may have yellow, cream, white, or gold accents.

Typically, the stalk (called the petiole) that the leaves are attached to is medium green or creamy green, but some new hybrids have petioles that are red or even spotted.

Blossoms range from white to dark lavender, and every shade of purple or pink in between. There are even a few cultivars with red blossoms, and one with yellow (‘Miracle Lemony’).

The flowers can range from nearly insignificant to large and showy, and heavily fragrant or nearly scent-less.

Shapes include trumpet (tubular), bell, or spider, and they can be single or double. Some breeders are even currently trying to create varieties with massive, lily-like blossoms.

Plants can bloom starting in the late spring to fall, depending on the variety, and last for weeks.

The flower stalks can be cream-colored or green, and there are even a few with red stalks.

We discuss hosta flowers in more detail here.

And the variety doesn’t stop there. There are cultivars that only spread a few inches wide, while others spread up to eight feet or more.

Most hostas stay the same color from spring to fall, but some show something called “viridescence,” and will transition to a darker color in the fall.

Leaves that show “lutescent” transition from green to yellow. “Ablescent” foliage turns from yellow to white over the growing season.

When it comes to variegation, there are a few different types. Medio variegated plants have light green, yellow, gold, cream, or white at the center of the leaf.

Leaves that are marginally variegated show their color at the edges. Streaked or splashed variegation shows up as random streaks of a lighter color on a dark base.

How to Grow

Hostas are hardy from USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 7, and sometimes listed as hardy to Zone 8 for certain varieties.

The summer climate varies quite a lot between the northern and southern parts of the United States. This should be taken into consideration when choosing a planting location.

They are ideal companions for spring bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, crocuses, snowdrops, and trilliums.

The leaves also contrast well with astilbes, ferns, hellebores, and snakeroots.

Light

Although hostas can tolerate some sun, most cultivars require a certain amount of shade, especially during the heat of the afternoon.

These plants actually suffer more from the extreme heat of southern zones, and therefore need more shade and water if planted there.

If you live in a northern area or a region that doesn’t become particularly hot, you can plant in a spot with partial sun.

Soil

The soil should have a pH right around 6.5 to 7.5, and should retain water without draining poorly.

I’m going to assume that, like most of us, you don’t have perfectly loamy, fertile, well-draining yet still-water-retentive soil.

In that case, dig down 16 inches and amend the soil with well-rotted compost.

If you have heavy clay, your best bet is to plant in a raised bed or a container.

Water

Hostas prefer constantly moist soil, but not standing water.

Plants should be given about an inch of water per week, so if you don’t receive that much rain, you’ll need to provide supplemental water.

A rain gauge can help you to figure this out. In hotter areas, you might need to provide more water.

If the leaf tips start wilting, add more water. A layer of mulch can help the soil to retain moisture. Use about an inch of compost, wood chips, or aged manure.

Fertilizing

Provide some light fertilizer once per year, in the spring when the leaves have pushed through the soil and are near their full size.

Use a balanced slow-release product.

Container Growing

Hostas of all sizes do well in containers, but you have to remember that these plants like a lot of water, and containers tend to dry out faster than the ground soil does.

The size of the container depends on the current size of the plant.

You should allow about three inches of space between the plant and the edge of the container.

Each year, you’ll either need to divide the plant and put it back in the same size container (with fresh soil, of course) or go up one container size to repot.

Fill your containers with an all-purpose, water-retentive potting mix. You can also use a general all-purpose mix and add some rice hulls to help improve water retention.

Find more tips on growing hostas in containers here.

Species and Cultivars

Leaf size and texture can vary among the many cultivars available.

There are dwarf varieties with leaves only about one inch wide, while others have leaves that are more than 15 inches wide.

The texture can be smooth or heavily crinkled, much like seersucker fabric. The variegated color patterns on the leaves of various cultivars are numerous as well.

If you want a hosta that can handle full sun, pick ‘August Moon,’ ‘Fragrant Bouquet,’ ‘Guacamole,’ ‘Fried Green Tomatoes,’ or ‘Sum and Substance.’

‘Sum and Substance’

‘Sum and Substance’ grows four-foot-tall spikes covered in large purple blossoms.

You can pick one up at Nature Hills Nursery.

Hostas for nearly full shade include ‘Autumn Frost,’ ‘El Niño Green,’ ‘Empress Wu,’ ‘Gold Standard,’ and ‘Wheee!’

‘Wheee’

That last, adorably-named plant is also available at Nature Hills Nursery in #1 containers, if it sounds like the right plant for your garden.

If you’re interested in hostas for the flowers, ‘Regal Splendor’ has lavender, bell-shaped blossoms on scapes that can reach up to 60 inches tall in the right conditions.

‘Guacamole’ and ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ have intensely fragrant, large, white blossoms.

If you’re a fan of award-winners, folks at the American Hosta Society (AHS) voted ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ as one of the best cultivars out there for several years in a row.

‘June’ was voted hosta of the year in 2001 by the AHS, while ‘Sagae’ nabbed the honor in 2000. ‘Krossa Regal’ has been a best-seller on the market for years.

We have an entire guide to help you pick the perfect hostas for your garden. Be sure to check it out for more options.

Maintenance

Hostas are incredibly low maintenance. You don’t have to divide them regularly, but feel free to do so if you want to expand your garden.

If your plants aren’t sending up flower stems, have no leaves in the center, or if they are growing too big for their spot, divide away. Do this in the spring, as the leaves are forming.

Cut off the flower spikes (known as racemes) after they have faded.

Some gardeners like to cut the leaves down to the ground in the winter to create a cleaner look in the garden. But many experts suggest that it’s better to let the leaves remain in place.

The leaves provide winter protection, help to retain soil moisture, and can encourage the plants not to emerge too early the following spring.

That said, foliage that remains in place can spread disease and encourage pests.

You can heap pine boughs around the plants to protect them during the winter.

In general, hostas planted in the ground don’t need winter protection.

Propagation

Hostas typically grow via underground rhizomes, though some species have fibrous roots.

All of them can be propagated by division, or you can purchase transplants or bare root plants.

H. ventricosa can even be grown from seed, though this method is not recommended as the seedlings are unlikely to grow true to the parent.

The best time to plant is in the spring or fall.

From Divisions

Dividing can be done at any time of year when the soil can be worked, but spring or fall is best.

If you divide in the spring, wait until the eyes (those little growing tips) have emerged from the earth.

You need to include a bit of the crown and roots of each section for it to survive. Plant as you would a transplant, as described below.

Keep the divisions well-watered for the first month. You’ve reduced the root structure, so the leaves aren’t being fed as much moisture as they’re used to.

Find more tips on dividing hosta plants here.

Transplanting

If you purchase starts at a nursery, the planting process is pretty straightforward.

Gently remove the plant from its container, loosen the roots and shake away any excess soil.

Dig a hole that is slightly larger and deeper than the container the plant was growing in. Put the root ball into the ground so that it sits at the same level it was growing at in the container.

Gently tamp soil around the plant to fill in the rest of the hole, and water well to settle it.

Get more tips on transplanting hostas here.

Pests and Disease

Part of what makes growing hostas so easy is that there are very few pests and diseases that impact them seriously.

If you have deer in your area, chances are those hungry ungulates will have a go at your plants at some point.

We have a helpful guide to help you deer-proof your garden. If you want a solution to protect your entire garden, you might consider fencing.

Like deer, rabbits love hostas too. They might just take a nibble here and there, or they can devour an entire plant.

But don’t worry, we have lots of tips to help you keep the rabbit situation under control.

Voles eat the roots and have the potential to completely kill your plants because they destroy the root structure underground before you realize what’s happening.

Pests

Hostas are rarely troubled by the insects that can wreak havoc on other plants. However, there are two exceptions.

Cutworms

Young plants are susceptible to cutworms, which are caterpillars in the Noctuidae family. Once they get a bit more mature, your plants aren’t in danger.

You can protect them by creating barriers, handpicking cutworms when you see them, and encouraging or introducing beneficial predators like braconid and trichogramma wasps, and tachinid flies.

For more help on identifying and eliminating cutworms, read our guide on these common pests.

Slugs and Snails

Ask any hosta grower and they’ll tell you, the biggest problem you’ll deal with (beyond hungry herbivores) is snails and slugs.

If your beautiful plants are beginning to look like Swiss cheese, then this is usually the problem.

There are chemical baits available to control slugs and snails, but these may be dangerous to wildlife and pets.

Instead, there are several nontoxic ways to control the night feeding slugs and snails. Our guide to slug control provides all the info you’ll need.

Find more tips on identifying and controlling hosta pests here.

Disease

As with pests, there aren’t too many diseases that trouble hostas. There are really just three main ones you might run up against.

Anthracnose

Anthracnose won’t usually kill your plants, but it’s unsightly.

Caused by fungi in the Colletotrichum genus, the disease shows up as tan spots with dark borders on the foliage that merge and eventually kill off some of the leaves.

Hostas are pretty tough and should recover if you’re diligent about removing infected foliage.

Crown Rot

Sclerotium rolfsii and S. rolfsii var. delphinii cause a disease known as crown rot, stalk rot, southern blight, or white mold. It thrives in warm, moist conditions.

It causes the petioles (the stalks that attach the root to the leaf) to rot. This results in yellowed and wilted leaves, starting at the bottom of the plant.

As the disease progresses, the leaves will completely die off and the petiole will detach. If you examine the soil, you’ll see a white, web-like fungus spreading across the soil and the base.

Unfortunately, fungicides aren’t effective against this disease. That means the only solution is to pull infected plants.

Make sure to dig up all the roots, and scrape away the top inch of soil from around the plant. Dispose of everything in the garbage, not your compost pile.

Read more about identifying and treating crown rot here.

Hosta Virus X

Hosta virus X (HVX) started spreading throughout the hosta world unintentionally, because the disease creates an interesting pattern on the leaves.

Breeders propagated specimens that exhibited signs of this disease because they wanted to reproduce the interesting pattern – not knowing at the time that it was a disease symptom – and now it’s popping up in unintended places, in greater numbers.

Plants with this disease have mottled leaves, and you’ll often notice green or blue splotches and spots on golden or yellow foliage.

Pull it and dispose of it – in the garbage, not the compost pile, to prevent further spread.

Find more tips on hosta disease identification and control here.

Hostas Are Easy to Love

Hostas are long-lived, hardy, and reliable. Plus, they can adapt to a range of conditions.

Add to that the fact that there are so many different species and cultivars available, and it’s no wonder they’re so incredibly popular.

We can’t wait to hear about which species, hybrids, or cultivars you end up with. Be sure to come back and tell us all about your new garden pals in the comments section below.

And for more information about adding beautiful foliage plants to your garden, check out these guides next:

• How to Grow Coleus in Your Garden
• What’s Not an Asparagus and Not a Fern? Asparagus Fern!
• How to Grow Colorful Caladiums