Hosta 'Purple Heart'

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plantain lily 'Purple Heart'

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plantain lily 'Purple Heart' RHS
Herbaceous Perennial
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A clump-forming herbaceous perennial. It has lime to green leaves, with bases flushed maroon atop dark maroon to almost black petioles. Pale purple flowers are borne on maroon coloured spikes in late Summer

Position

Full shade, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Full shade Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asparagaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Hosta are clump-forming herbaceous perennials with simple, ovate or lance-shaped leaves, often attractively coloured or variegated, and erect racemes of nodding, funnel or bell-shaped flowers in early summer
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Performs best in neutral or slightly acid soil that is moist but well drained, sheltered from cold dry winds in partial shade. Will not tolerate drought. Apply a mulch in Spring. Leaf colour may be poor if planted in chalky soil.

Propagation

Propagate by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs
  • Ground cover

Pruning

Remove dead foliage when growing season is over

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails, vine weevils but has some resistance to slugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to a virus