What are Hosta?
Hosta are shade loving plants known for their showy foliage. They are perennials, which means that they die back at the end of each growing season and resprout in spring. They are shade tolerant plants, and are mostly grown as ground covers. There are over 3000 varieties of Hosta cultivars, or different varieties of the plants, that come in varying sizes and with different colored or variegated (one or more colors) foliage. Hosta are native to Japan, China and Korea. They grow from rhizomes which are tubular, fibrous roots. The leaves range from small to large in size and are usually oval or shovel shaped. Hosta reach maturity in 4-8 years. The plants are generally easy to grow and long-lived. Young and mature plants are widely available at garden centers and nurseries, which are helpful resources for determining which cultivars do well in your area. Hosta are especially popular in plantings for shaded areas, such as under a leafy hardwood tree. Although they are usually grown for thei
