Tuesday 1 July 2014
Hosta is a genus of about
23 to 45 species of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies
(particularly in Britain) and occasionally by the Japanese name giboshi. Hostas are widely cultivated
as shade-tolerant foliage plants. The genus is currently placed in the family Asparagaceae,
subfamily Agavoideae, and is native to northeast Asia. Like many
"lilioid monocots", the genus was once classified in the Liliaceae. Hostas
are herbaceous perennial plants, growing from rhizomes or stolons, with broad lanceolate or ovate leaves varying widely in
size by species from 1 to 18 in long and 0.75 to 12 in broad. The smallest
varieties are called miniatures. Variation among the numerous cultivars is even
greater, with clumps ranging from less than four in across and three in (8 cm) high to more than
six ft across and four ft high. Leaf color in wild species is typically
green, although some species (e.g., H.
sieboldiana) are known for a glaucous waxy leaf coating that gives a
blue appearance to the leaf. Some species have a glaucous white coating
covering the underside of the leaves. Source
