(Hosta, Mint Julep Plantain Lily)

Hostas are mound-forming herbaceous perennials grown mostly for their attractive foliage. The large-leaved and wide-clumping selection ‘Mint Julep’ is a beauty to admire from the veranda while you relax and admire the shade garden. This cultivar originated as a mutation off of the hybrid hosta 'William Lachman'. Alex Malloy selected it in 2000. Forming a dense, leafy clump, 'Mint Julep' has large, pointed, plump heart-shaped leaves. The leaf center is deep medium green with a wide ivory-white edge....

(Hosta, Minuteman Plantain Lily, Plantain Lily)

Minuteman plantain lily is a clump forming, shade tolerant, herbaceous perennial that is primarily grown for its ornamental foliage. In spring, it produces a small clump of round, cupped leaves of dark green with clean white margins. In midsummer, upright, sturdy stems of trumpet-shaped, lavender flowers appear. This hosta prefers part sun to part shade and fertile, well drained soil. It is widely used in mixed perennial borders and massed as a large groundcover for shade. Most hosta are highly susceptible...

(Hosta, Moerheim Plantain Lily, Plantain Lily)

Overlapping like tiles on a dome, the teardrop leaves of 'Moerheim' hosta light up shady sites with their edges of creamy white. Like all hostas, which are native to Asia, it is a mounded herbaceous perennial grown mainly for its attractive leaves. Thin flower stalks rise above the leaves in summer, bearing a cluster of light purple funnel-shaped flowers.

This hosta, like most hostas, grows best in in partially shaded sites, tolerates a wide range of soils, and prefers average, even moisture....

(Hosta, Moonlight Plantain Lily, Plantain Lily)

Hostas need shade, right? Not always. The variegated ‘Moonlight’ needs a bit of sun to develop its warm yellow leaf color. Herbaceous ornamentals prized for shade-tolerance and toughness, hostas have produced many specimens with attractive leaves. This one has dimpled, lance-shaped leaves that are green-gold with narrow, white margins. Many pale lavender, bell to funnel-shaped flowers appear on leafless stems held above the foliage in midsummer. The plant forms a small to medium-sized neat mound.

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(Hosta, Mountain Snow Plantain Lily, Plantain Lily)

Hostas are mound-forming herbaceous perennials prized for their tolerance of shade, mounding habit, toughness, and attractive leaves. This one, the pretty variegated ‘Mountain Snow,’ forms large, vase-shaped clumps. Its long, narrow, lance-shaped leaves taper to a point. They have prominent veins and are jade green with narrow, streaky, white margins. White bell-to-funnel-shaped flowers appear on leafless stems held above the foliage in early summer.

Like most hostas, ‘Mountain Snow’ grows best...

(Hosta, Nakaiana Plantain Lily, Plantain Lily)

This hosta species, native to Japan, has found a place in gardens because of its small size and vigor. The plant makes a dense mound of heart-shaped green leaves that can spread three times farther than high. The leaves are dull on top, slightly shiny below, with wavy edges. The flowers are purple with a lighter throat and borne in clusters atop upright stems above the leaves in summer. This species has given rise to many cultivars, including the widely grown ‘Golden Tiara.’

Like most hostas,...

(Hosta, Night Before Christmas Plantain Lily, Plantain Lily)

What a festive hosta! Night before Christmas hosta, or 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 wavy, heart-shaped leaves of dark green with clean white stripes down their centers. In early summer, upright, sturdy stems of bell-shaped, lavender flowers appear. This hosta prefers part sun to part shade and fertile, well drained soil. It is widely used in mixed perennial borders...

(Hosta, Northern Exposure Plantain Lily, Plantain Lily)

Hostas are herbaceous perennials grown for their leaves, tolerance of shade, mounding habit and toughness. This one, ‘Northern Exposure,’ forms large, spreading clumps of broad, oval leaves that thick, heavily puckered, and cool blue-green with wide yellow to chartreuse margins that turn creamy white as they mature. White tubular flowers appear on leafless stems held above the foliage in midsummer.

Like most hostas, ‘Northern Exposure’ grows best in full to partial shade, tolerates a wide range...

(Hosta, Northern Halo Plantain Lily, Plantain Lily)

Hostas are herbaceous perennials grown for their tolerance for shade, mounding habit, toughness, and leaves. This one, the imposing, variegated ‘Northern Halo,’ forms medium to large spreading clumps of oval leaves that are slightly cupped, corrugated, blue-green with wide, irregular creamy white margins. White bell-shaped flowers appear on leafy stems held above the foliage in summer.

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

(Hosta, On Stage Plantain Lily, Plantain Lily)

Hostas need shade, right? Not always. The fast-growing ‘On Stage’ forms medium-sized spreading clumps. Its oval leaves taper to a point and are deeply veined. They emerge with bright gold centers which change to creamy white. The margins are two shades of green, irregular and streak into the heart of the leaf. Lavender bell to funnel-shaped flowers appear on leafless stems held above the foliage in summer.

Overall, this hosta grows best in full to partial shade and tolerates a wide range of well-drained...