They are easy to propagate and easy to maintain once they are established.
Hosta is the genus where 70 species and hundreds of hybrids and cultivars belong to.
But all hosta plant species have some definite characteristics to help you in identifying them from the rest.
Leaves
Hosta plants sport four different leaf bases.
All hostas have colored margins, with a smooth texture (no serration), and are veined.
Flowers
Hostas almost always feature trumpet or bell-shaped flowers, spreading on six lobes.
The color range for its flowers would be white, light purple, and dark purple.
They usually bloom during summer.
As summer progresses, the white center streaks turn into dark green.
The leaves have an upright growth, making it look tall at 5ft.
It produces trumpet-shaped, lilac blooms in the summer too.
2.Hosta Komodo Dragon
It is considered as one of the largest hostas available.
It sports cascading, blue green leaves with cream or white edges.
The leaves are identifiable for their deep veins.
They grow at just 2-3ft and 2ft in width.
In the summer, they bloom purplish white flowers.
However, this hosta is also one of the most vulnerable to slugs and other insects.
You must carefully watch for it while it establishes roots.
3.Hosta Guacamole
This one is a noteworthy hosta because of its fragrant blooms and majestic foliage.
The foliage is also striking because they grow in mounds in an overlapping manner.
In the summer, it blooms white, fragrant flowers.
It can be planted as garden borders or transferred indoors as a container plant.
4.Hosta August Moon
The large leaves of this hosta variety grow in asymmetrical mounds.
They grow at a max height of 3ft and in the summer, it blooms bell-shaped, lavender flowers.
It has huge, fan-shaped, overlapping leaves that look like flapped wings.
The leaves are blue green in color, with a puckered thickness, and almost matte texture.
This one can tolerate partial sun, can thrive in dry soils, and produces funnel-shaped flowers during summer.
The leaves look thick and robust year-round thanks to its puckered, embossed-like texture.
It grows at 1.5ft in height and 4ft wide.
In the summer, it blooms tiny, funnel shaped, white flowers.
7.Striptease Hosta
This one is a famous hosta variety because of its bold colors.
It grows at 1-2-inches in height and 3-inches in width.
From July to August, you would love to see its light purple flowers.
It is enclosed by blue green edges.
To keep these stripes in color, this hosta needs bright, indirect light.
It blooms lilac-colored flowers in the summer.
It grows between 1-3-inches and 5-inches in width.
With its upright growth habit, it could be planted along with smaller hostas for a layered ground cover.
This one has a prominent golden yellow color and blue green edges.
In the summer, its colors become richer in hue.
Its golden yellow color just illuminates with light.
It blooms small yet clustered purple flowers.
It is a large hosta, reaching 3ft in height and width.
It sports a blue green hue, and creamy white edges.
As summer progresses, the leaves turn dark green, and the edges become yellow.
Light purple colors sit atop the plant all throughout summer.
It has golden yellow leaves with silver and green blotches.
It is perfect as a container or border plant, and it blooms light purple flowers throughout summer.
13.Daybreak hosta
Anyone would love the broad, deep gold-colored leaves of this hosta variety.
When it is touched by sunlight, the golden hue turns into chartreuse.
It grows at 2ft in height and 3ft in width.
It also blooms lilac-colored flowers during summer.
14.Blue mouse ears hosta
It is obvious as to why this hosta is named as such.
The leaves follow a symmetrical mounding habit.
16.Curly fries hosta
This one looks different compared to its other hosta counterparts.
It grows at a height 12-16-inches and a width of 36-inches.
It blooms a 28-inches high stem in the middle for its purple-colored flowers.
It is resistant to insects and slugs.
It sports a medium size, apple green leaf color with white edges.
It can tolerate the dappled heat of the morning sun in zones 4-11.
It has a notably fast growth rate, reaching a maximum height of 18-24-inches and a spread of 24-inches.
19.Gold Standard hosta
When it comes to majestic looking hostas, this one does not disappoint.
In mid-summer, the purple flowers begin to appear.
It grows at a height of 12-28-inches.
20.Golden Tiara hosta
This one is known for its small, heart shaped, overlapping leaves.
It grows at a compact form and grows quickly to just 6-12-inches in height and 24-36-inches in spread.
Unlike other hostas, its summer blooms are deep purple in color and blooms so profusely.
21.Hosta June
This one is the most common hosta out there.
Its variegated leaves come in lime green and golden streaks plus a blue-green edge.
They grow in an upright, overlapping manner, hence the name.
It also features purple-colored flowers, grows at 12-22-inches and comes with a spread of 36-48-inches.
23.Krossa Regal hosta
Without a doubt, this one indeed, looks kingly in the landscape.
It would grow well in areas where it can receive full morning light and afternoon shade.
It has blue green leaves, yellow edges, and blooms lavender flowers come late summer.
24.Hosta Vulcan
This one is a real standout in the garden.
It has a deep green foliage with a prominent, bright white center and lighter green edges.
The foliage is heart shaped and follows an overlapping mound.
It grows at just 6-10-inches and has a spread of 16-32-inches.
It loves the morning sun and dappled shade.
Its lavender colored flowers lure hummingbirds around during summer.
It has heart-shaped, veined leaves with a puckered texture in blue green color and light-yellow edges.
The foliage follows an overlapping, drooping habit.
It also loves moisture so frequent watering is required.
The leaves rippled on the edge and looked corrugated.
Unlike other yellow-colored hostas, this one cannot tolerate a lot of sunlight.
The lavender-colored blooms shall appear mid-summer.
It reaches a height of 10-15-inches.
This hosta cultivar is considered a nursery hybrid.
It blooms light purple flowers all throughout summer, sitting atop the plant on a 38-inches stalk.
It is a multi-awarded yellow hosta cultivar.
It has broad, heart shaped leaves, glossy, veined, and deeply textured.
The bluish white flowers bloom as early as spring, clustered in a 36-inch stalk.
It sports small, heart-shaped, mounding leaves that are pale green in color.
It is, however, a fast spreader and might require frequent division every two years.
The flowers of the Blue Ivory are equally eye-catching too.
It sports lavender colored and star-shaped flowers in the summer, clustered in a 2-ft stem.
31.Hosta Dancing Queen
This spectacular hosta has one of the most beautiful foliage of all hosta plants.
This one grows at just 2-ft and a spread of 22-36-inches.
The main selling point of this hosta would be its bright, changing color.
It has an elongated foliage which is crumpled, and a bit twisty at the edge.
It has a steady growth rate and grows at a maximum height of 18-inches.
33.Hosta Minuteman
If you are looking for a beautiful underplant, the minuteman is a prime choice.
It also has bright white streaks in the middle.
It grows to 18-inches in height and a spread of 30-inches.
Its lavender blooms start emerging at early summer in a 2-ft stem.
It sports elegant chartreuse foliage with dark green margins.
As summer comes close, the leaves turn to golden yellow.
They have a glossy, satiny texture and are deeply veined.
The flowers are purple and funnel-shaped.
They start emerging mid-summer and are a favorite of hummingbirds and songbirds.
35.Hosta Pauls Glory
This one lives up to its multi-awarded reputation because of its majestic foliage.
It also features trumpet-shaped flowers that are lavender in color.
They emerge late summer and sit atop a 40-inch stem.
Like the paradigm, it is loved by hummingbirds.
Its main plus is it is resistant to slugs and insects unlike most hosta plants.
It is used for edging, groundcover, or as a container plant.
The leaves are dark olive green and blooms lilac-colored flowers in the summer.
It is also a multi-awarded hosta plant and looks splendid as a container plant.
It comes with blue-green, frosted like leaves, that turn grayish as the season progresses.
It grows to a maximum of 28-inches and has a large spread of 54-inches.
It sports deep purple flowers on a 2ft stem.
While it is easy to grow, it is quite vulnerable to slugs and insects.
FAQs
How many different types of hostas are there?
As of writing, there are 70 listed species of hosta and more than 3000 registered varieties and cultivars.
Are hostas poisonous to dogs?
This is another downside for hostas.
The leaves contain a toxin called saponin which can be fatal to dogs when a large amount is ingested.
Are hostas edible?
But only the very young hostas.
Culturally, the Japanese people have been eating young hostas for many centuries.
They are usually boiled or fried in tempura.
How long can hostas live?
It could also thrive in dappled morning light.
