(Hosta, Plantain Lily, Samuel Blue Plantain Lily)

Hostas are herbaceous perennials grown for their attractive leaves, tolerance for shade, toughness, and mounding habit. This one, ‘Samual Blue,' is a medium-sized hosta with upright, heart-shaped leaves that are powdery blue and heavily glaucous (having a whitish film on the surface). The flowers are lavender-blue and appear on upright stems above the clump in late summer.

Like most hostas, ‘Samual Blue’ grows best in partial shade to full shade, tolerates a wide range of well-drained soils, and...

(Hosta, Plantain Lily, Samurai Plantain Lily)

Hostas are herbaceous perennials grown for their attractive leaves, tolerance for shade, toughness, and mounding habit. This one, the classic ‘Samurai,’ forms large upright clumps of huge, heart-shaped leaves that are thick and heavily corrugated. They are blue-green with wide, irregular yellow margins. White bell-to-funnel-shaped flowers appear on leafless stems held above the mound.

Like most hostas, ‘Samurai’ grows best in full to partial shade, tolerates a wide range of well-drained soils,...

(Hosta, Plantain Lily, Scooter Plantain Lily)

Hostas are herbaceous perennials grown for their leaves, mounding habit, tolerance of shade, and toughness. This one, the strikingly variegated ‘Scooter,’ has smooth lance-shaped leaves with a bold green center and wide, yellow to white margins. The plant is fairly small and grows as a spreading clump. Lavender bell-to-funnel-shaped flowers appear on leafy stems held above the foliage in late summer.

Like most hostas, ‘Scooter’ grows best in full to partial shade, tolerates a wide range of well-drained...

(Hosta, Plantain Lily, Sea Dream Plantain Lily)

Hostas need shade, right? Not always. This one, ‘Sea Dream, has gold leaves that need a bit of sun to develop their brightest color. Hostas are herbaceous ornamentals prized for their toughness, tolerance of shade, mounding habit, and attractive leaves. The heart-shaped leaves of ‘Sea Dream’ have several attractions: they are wavy, deeply veined, and lightly puckered; they are brightly variegated; they form neat, symmetrical clumps; and best of all, they emerge green, then change to gold and develop...

(Hosta, Plantain Lily, Sea Thunder Plantain Lily)

This is a beautifully colored variegated hosta! Sea Thunder plantain lily is a clump forming, shade tolerant, herbaceous perennial that is primarily grown for its ornamental foliage. In late spring, it produces a neat clump of lance-shaped, leaves with a ivory interior lined with pale green and then dark green. In midsummer upright stems topped with trumpet-shaped pale lavender flowers appear. This hosta prefers part sun to part shade and fertile, well drained soil. It is widely used in mixed perennial...

(Hosta, Plantain Lily, September Sun Plantain Lily)

Hostas need shade, right? Not always. The fast-growing, gold-leafed ‘September Sun’ (and other hostas with yellow leaves) needs a bit sun to develop its brightest color. Hostas are herbaceous ornamentals grown for their toughness, tolerance for sun, mounding habit, and above all, attractive leaves. The rounded leaves of ‘September Sun’ are yellow with wide dark-green margins. They are of heavy substance and corrugated like cardboard. The plant forms a large spreading mound. The flowers are very pale...

(Hosta, Plantain Lily, Serendipity Plantain Lily)

Hostas are herbaceous perennials grown for their attractive leaves, tolerance for shade, toughness, and mounding habit. This one, ‘Serendipity,’ makes a medium-sized, dense, neat mound of cascading leaves, upright in the center, spreading at the perimeter. The leaves are heart-shaped, cupped, almost smooth, blue-green and slightly glaucous (having a whitish film). The flowers are lavender and funnel-shaped and appear in clusters on leafless stems above the leaves in summer.

Like most hostas, ‘Serendipity’...

(Hosta, Plantain Lily, Shade Fanfare Plantain Lily)

Hostas are herbaceous perennials grown for their attractive leaves, tolerance for shade, toughness, and mounding habit. This one, ‘Shade Fanfare,' is notable for its broad, corrugated, heart-shaped green leaves outlined elegantly by a wide cream-colored margin. It is a medium-sized plant and makes a tidy mound of overlapping leaves. The flower are lavender and funnel shaped. They appear above the leaves in clusters atop leafless stems.

Like most hostas, ‘Shade Fanfare,' grows best in partial shade...

(Hosta, Plantain Lily, Sharmon Plantain Lily)

Hostas are herbaceous perennials grown for their attractive leaves, tolerance for shade, toughness, and mounding habit. This one, ‘Sharmon,' has ruffled, heart-shaped light-green leaves outlined by a wide blue-green margin. It is a medium-sized plant and makes a whorled mound of jostling leaves. The flower are lavender and funnel shaped. They appear above the leaves in clusters atop leafless stems.

Like most hostas, ‘Sharmon' grows best in partial shade to full shade, tolerates a wide range of...

(Hosta, Plaintain Lily, Plantain Lily)

Arguably, there is no better perennial for shade. Hosta is a clump forming herbaceous ornamental grown mostly for its attractive foliage. The genus originates from Asia and is comprised of approximately 40 species and thousands of hybrid cultivars.

Throughout the growing season they present clumps of foliage in various shades of green, blue, blue-gray or gold. Some also have variegated markings of white, cream or gold. Their flowers are variable, but are generally trumpet, funnel or bell-shaped...