Hosta sieboldiana (23/06/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Position: Partial shade to shade
Flowering period: Summer
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 90cm
Eventual Spread: 1.2m
Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a
Family: Asparagaceae
Sub Family: Agavoideae
Hosta sieboldiana Flower (23/06/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Hosta sieboldiana is a deciduous herbaceous perennial with a clump forming habit. Its waxy mid green leaves are cordate shaped with entire margins, deeply veined, up to 30cm long and 20cm broad. Its white/ pale purple flowers are funnel shaped and appear on erect spikes which are up to 75cm tall. Its roots are stolons which aids its spread.
Hosta sieboldiana, commonly known as the Giant Hosta or Plantain Lilly, is native to north east Asia.
The etymological root of the binomial name Hosta is named after the Austrian botanist Nicolaus Thomas Host (1771 to 1834). Sieboldiana is named after Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796 – 1866), a German plant collector in Japan.
The landscape architect may find Hosta sieboldiana useful as a low ground cover plant with architectural leaves, particularly in shady locations and is suitable for woodland planting schemes. Snails may be a problem in damp locations.
Ecologically, Hosta sieboldiana is attractive to nectar loving birds.
The Royal Horticultural Society has given the variety Hosta sieboldiana var. elegans their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
Hosta sieboldiana Leaf (23/06/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Hosta sieboldiana prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil, although it prefers acid to neutral soils. It will tolerate damp soils.
Hosta sieboldiana requires little maintenance. Large clumps may be divided in spring as its leaves first appear.
