Hosta plantaginea

RHS Plant Profile
fragrant plantain lily

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fragrant plantain lily Dorling Kindersley Ltd
fragrant plantain lily RHS

Other common names

August lily, Corfu lily, maruba, tamano-giboshi-kanzashi, yusan

Herbaceous Perennial
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Forms a large dome-shaped mound, to 60cm high, with mid-green, glossy leaves and white flowers, very fragrant at night and borne on stems to 80cm, from late summer to autumn

Position

Full shade, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

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

Growing Conditions

Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full shade Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or East–facing or North–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)
H7

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asparagaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
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
Correct
Plant Range
China

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil, in partial shade or full shade, shelter from cold dry winds. See hosta cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagation by division in late summer or early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Patio and container plants
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Garden edging

Pruning

Remove spent foliage as required and clear up dead foliage when it dies back at the end of the growing season

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails and vine weevil

Diseases

Generally disease-free