Hostas come in every size and shape imaginable, are easy to grow and shade tolerant. These herbaceous perennials are grown mainly for their beautiful foliage, but many boast beautiful blooms, too. But did you know these other hosta facts?

Hosta Facts

• Hostas are the most widely grown ornamental perennial in the United States.
• They are a herbaceous perennial, meaning they die back each fall and emerge again in spring.
• Hostas are extremely hardy and grow in zones 3–9. They will not grow well in southern states like Florida or Arizona because they need a dormant period under 40 degrees for a couple months each winter.
• One common name for Hosta still used in some garden centers is Plantain Lily, and are sometimes still referred to as Funkia. But the real name for hosta is simply Hosta.

Hostas are native to Japan, Korea, and China.

• They were first imported and grown in Europe in the late 1700s.
• By the mid-1800s, hosta were grown in the United States.
• Today, there are dozens of species and thousands of cultivars available to the home gardener as a result of hybridizing and tissue culture propagation.
• Hostas were originally propagated by dividing crowns. This is a slow process if large numbers are desired. Tissue Culture is the preferred process to meet today’s needs of large numbers of hosta and hosta cultivars entering the market.
• Flowers on hostas come in a range of colors including white, lavender, and purple. Hybridizers are working to breed other colors, including shades of red, yellow, and pink.
• Growing hosta seeds from most varieties will not produce the same variety as the parent plant. Only H. ‘ventricosa’ will produce seeds that are identical to the parent plant.

There’s a lot to love about hostas! Be sure to explore more on our website to learn interesting hosta facts.