There are over 70 hosta species and hundreds of hybrids and cultivars.
Scape height varies from cultivar to cultivar.
Warning
Hostas are toxic to cats and dogs.
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All parts of the plant include saponins, a toxin that causes vomiting diarrhea, and depression.
Fragrant, almost white flowers appear in early summer.
The leaves develop a more chartreuse color in deep shade.
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Moving into summer, the center of the leaves turns a lighter yellow or even creamy white.
Revolution Hosta
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This medium-sized hosta forms an attractive, upright mound.
Pale lavender flowers appear in July.
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The lavender flowers in midsummer attract hummingbirds.
It has a compact growth habit and more heat tolerance than other popular varieties.
The glossy, dark green foliage has a corrugated texture and a painted white irregular margin.
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With dark green edges, the inner leaves have varying degrees of bright yellow and green streaks.
It has thick leaves featuring a vibrant yellow center and an irregular blue-green margin.
As the summer progresses, the center changes to a creamy green shade, and the outer margin widens.
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Magic Island hosta is often favored for its slug resistance.
June Hosta
This award-winning hosta is a popular sport of the well-known’Halcyon' cultivar.
The thick foliage forms in dense clumps and has dark green margins with a hint of blue.
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The heavy leaves are slug-resistant.
This hosta blooms in mid to late summer.
They are prolific spreaders and can grow to 5 feet wide.
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It has a fairly quick growth rate, taking around five years to fully mature.
This is another hosta that can tolerate some sun.
The blue-green leaves have a wide, irregular yellow margin that becomes more creamy as it matures.
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A clear bonus is that the thick foliage is remarkablyslug-resistant.
Remember that not all hostas need shade and some can grow in the sun.
This includes planting them in partial shade with some sun but avoiding hot, sunny areas.
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Hostas tolerate almost any jot down of soil, except for clay, and they prefer more acidic dirt.
Deeper, infrequent watering is best.
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The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
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