Deer resistant: no
Moisture: moist soil
Size: 6” H x 12” W
Bloom: bell-shaped purple-striped flowers in July
Hardiness zone: 3
Hostas are shade-loving foliage plants that are, with Astilbes, the backbone of any shade garden. There are many varieties of Hosta, small and large, with yellow, green, blue, and variegated foliage. All Hostas have leaves, lance-like or round, large or small, attached to curved, celery-shaped stems that form clumps of overlapping foliage. When rain falls on these leaves, water is directed down the curved stem to the plant’s roots. Hostas send up bell-shaped flowers ranging from white to lavender, on stalks in mid- to late summer. While most Hostas thrive in shade, some will tolerate a good deal of sun, especially if kept moist.
Hostas are easy to divide and transplant in spring (despite what the “books” say) and will also self-seed, although you may get some interesting hybrids if you have several Hosta species around the garden. Deer love Hostas and will eat them to the ground unless precautions are taken. In wet seasons, slugs may also chew unsightly holes in the leaves. Do not let these pests deter you: Hostas are well worth having in your garden, and some are less tasty to deer than others. In our experience, thick-leaved and blue Hostas (which are often waxy) are slightly less delectable to deer than thin-leaf or green Hostas.
‘Stiletto’ a petite little Hosta with 8” long dagger-shaped green leaves with narrow white margins, that form star-shaped clumps. It is one of the first Hostas to emerge in the spring. Ours is quite lush by early May. This hardy variety is a terrific edging Hosta at the front of the bed. Copious, large, purple-striped flowers appear on short scapes in July. A little gem.