PlantFiles: Hosta
Hosta plantaginea

Most wonderful large fragrant flowers. My favorite Hosta

I love this hosta and just harvested seeds for the first time this Fall. I planted them and they germinated and are growing in just 7 short days! I'm very excited to see what seedlings are produced. This is a hosta that everyone should own. I have them in a spot that has shade a good part of the day until late afternoon. These tough guys weather that western afternoon sun like a champ! Fragrant and yes, they DO attract hummingbirds and butterflies!

This is one of my favorite hostas just for how fragrant the flowers are! Early mornings and evenings are sweetly scented by the large white blooms. A very fast grower, too. For me the leaves have been easily fried by the sun.

This is one of my favorite flowers. Planted on the north side of my house, these hostas fill late summer evenings with an incredibly rich, sweet (but not cloying to my nose) perfume that can be smelled yards away. Their attractive, heart shaped, knee high lime-yellow/green foliage and the three to four foot high spikes of pure white flowers draw the eye like a beacon into the summer late-evening shadows. The show of nocturnal flowers lasts most of the month of August.

I almost forgot to mention, these flowers draw hummingbirds. During the evenings, and on overcast summer days when the flowers are open hummingbirds surround them.

This hosta does not really stand out among the other hostas with their colorful leaves except when it blooms in late summer. The exceptionly large pure white lily-like flowers have such a wonderful fragrance. Everyone should have hosta plantaginea if only for experiencing its sweet smell on a warm August evening.

Hosta plantaginea is noted as a large mound of shiny green foliage; large fragrant, nocturnal, white flowers in August. Mound size runs 25" high by 57" wide.

Leaves are 11" long by 7-3/8" wide, and a medium to light green with a shiny top and underside. Blade is ovate to broadly ovate with a deeply lobed base and distinct tip. Margins are slightly wavy and the leaf has a smooth texture; no purple dots on petioles and an average substance with 9-11 vein pairs.

Flowers in mid August to early September. Flowers are pure white, trumpet shaped, nocturnal and very fragrant. They begin blooming at sundown, open until late afternoon of the second day on scapes ranging from 18" to 34" high. Some seed pods are formed - largest pods of any hosta at 2-3/4" long by 3/8" wide.

This hosta is said to be perhaps the most horticulturally significant of the last 200 years. It was one of the first hostas introduced into cultivation in Europe, and became an integral part of American garding over 100 years ago. According to Zilis in The Hosta Handbook, Hosta plantaginea is so distinct that only 'Aphrodite', 'Royal Standard', 'Invincible', and 'Fried Green Tomatoes' would be acceptable substitutes for it in the landscape.

I love these hostas. Well established when I bought my home, they grow in full sunlight. If they don't get extra water the leaves turn yellow. Flower stalks are about 4' tall and hummers flock to the masses of white blooms. They are beauties!

I have successfully grown this plant in full-sun to full shade. Performs best with some afternoon shade.

A easy to raise hosta that can be mast fragrant and the only nite bloomer with white trumpet-shaped flowers.