What do hostas look like in winter

This perennial comes in a wide variety of sizes, and leaf color making it an attractive addition to the landscape.  Choose cultivars from a few inches tall to several feet across with multi-colored leaves in whites, yellows, golds, greens, and blue-green.  Flowers, known as racemes, shoot up anytime from early summer to fall depending on the variety you choose.  (https://morguefile.com/creative/paulabflat/)

BELMONT, N.Y. — The hosta is a native plant of the Far East originating in Japan, China and Korea.   The plant has fleshy roots and short spreading rhizomes.   Beautiful leaves, flowers and a resilience to our sometime harsh climate has made it a favorite in many local gardens.   Even the deer think it is wonderful and hostas can become one of their favorite meals. Add some lilies and the deer hear dinner bells ringing!

Plantain Lily is another name used for this “partial shade” loving cultivar.  Partial shade is usually about 4 – 6 hours of sunlight per day.  Hostas can survive in full shade, but they won’t thrive.

This perennial comes in a wide variety of sizes, and leaf color making it an attractive addition to the landscape.  Choose cultivars from a few inches tall to several feet across with multi-colored leaves in whites, yellows, golds, greens, and blue-green.  Flowers, known as racemes, shoot up anytime from early summer to fall depending on the variety you choose.   These blooms can be white, lavender, blue or even a bicolor.  The hosta is a hardy looking plant and is beautifully paired in the garden with the wispy look of the fern.

Hostas prefer a rich, moist, but well drained soil, high in organic matter.  Organic mulch could be as simple as shredded bark, shredded leaves or pine needles.   Mulch helps keep the weeds down and it retain moisture.  Be careful on how much you mulch.  Too much can cause the water to just run off instead of soaking into the roots.  Keep the depth to a couple of inches.

Pruning your hosta is a simple task and will help to establish the plant keeping it healthy and able to flourish in the coming years.  Once the flowers have finished blooming and wilted, it is best to cut the entire flower stalk right down to the base.  This gives the leaves a chance to absorb nutrients and even possibly produce second blooms if you are lucky. In the fall, cut and remove the foliage to the plant base once it has shriveled and died; usually after a good hard frost. Remove all the debris around the plant especially if it looks like it may have some diseased sections. If you have diseased portions, it is best not to compost this debris but place it in a garbage bag for disposal.

Do not cut your plant while the leaves are still green.  The plant is getting ready for the winter and using its leaves to make food.  Cutting the leaves too early will deplete the winter energy it needs to store.  A thin layer of mulch will protect the hosta during the heavy snow and cold.  If the mulch is applied too heavily it creates a hiding place for another enemy of this plant, the slug.  Slugs like to feast on the hosta so try to keep the population down as much as possible.  This could be as simple as removing and disposing of them throughout the seasons.  It is best to remove the mulch in the very early spring before the leaves begin to sprout from the ground, this will remove shelter for the slugs.

Spring is the best time to transplant or divide your hosta – cooler temperatures are easier on new transplants. However, if your hosta’s growth is “out of control,” you can divide it in the fall too. Just be sure to give it 1” of water per week if Mother Nature isn’t doing it for you.  You can separate the plant by cutting a section with a sharp shovel.  Small divisions tend to take a long time to establish so it is best to wait until the hosta has been in the ground and growing for 4 to 5 years before dividing.

If you haven’t grown Hostas before, take a look at all the possibilities and you will be sure to find one (or two) that will fit right into your own landscape!

—Joyce Ziembo, Master Gardener Volunteer
Cornell Cooperative Extension Allegany County

For more articles out of New York, click here.

Faye loves living in the woods, taking walks, and reading. She enjoys watching her hosta and other flowers growing each spring.

My Hosta Plant

When Do Hostas Come Up And Bloom?

This article includes the daily documentation of the growth of my hosta plant, with photos and other observations, from when it started sprouting in the spring until its full growth, a little over a month later. There are also photos from when it bloomed a few months after that.

I rescued this pot of hosta from the porch of an unoccupied rental house belonging to my brother. Most hostas are planted directly in the ground, but you can also pot them. This particular one is located in Concord, Virginia, and it grows rather large. I counted about 24 sprouts coming up in the year these photos were taken.

Watching It Grow: From First Sprouting to Full Bloom

I'd had this plant for four years at the time these photos were taken. Every year, it grows so fast I sometimes think it happens overnight. I look out the window one day and it is just sprouting, and it seems that when I look out the window next, it is almost grown!

In 2009, I decided to take time to look at it each day to see how much it actually had grown. I took pictures of it daily to be able to compare from the day before. On the seventh day, I started to measure a sprout each day. From my measurements, I found it grows about 1/2 inch a day. It slowed down a little after about the 18th day. After 28 to 30 days, it had pretty much reached full growth. Keep reading to find out how big it grew!

While it actually doesn't just grow to full height "overnight," you can see a definite growth spurt each day. As the leaves start unfurling, it just gets fuller and fuller! It's been fun to watch and document. I hope you enjoy seeing it and learning more about this plant.

Be forewarned, I'm not a professional photographer (not even a good one)!

About Hosta and How It Grows

Hosta is the genus name for this perennial plant, which includes many species (up to 70). One of the common traits is the large heart-shaped leaf. The most common species has solid green leaves or green with white streaks. Other species include a wide range of solid colors or multiple colors in their leaves. It is a shade-loving plant.

How Big Does It Get?

Hosta can grow to be about two feet high and can spread as much as five to six feet wide!

When Does It Bloom?

In mid to late summer, it will have small bell-shaped flowers on a long stem, growing up from the middle of the plant. After it blooms, the leaves will turn brown.

When Does It Come Back Up?

Hostas don't die in winter, but they go through a winter dieback (also known as dormancy). The leaves fall off, and the plant appears to have croaked, but it's really just conserving energy and waiting for temperatures to warm again. It will resprout in the early spring.

Day 1: (March 23) Hosta Is Sprouting

On day 1, the hosta sprouts were just coming through the soil. We were having a warm spring in Virginia, so it sprouted early this year.

Day 2

On day 2, the sprouts were growing taller. Don't blink, or they will have leaves unfurling!

Day 6 (March 28)

There were a few days of bad weather, and I didn't take pictures again until March 28.

Day 7: Sprouts Are 3.5 Inches

On day 7, I started measuring the sprouts, and they were an average of 3.5 inches tall! There was a big growth spurt, probably due to the rain we'd been having.

Day 8: 4 Inches

On the 8th day, the sprouts measured 4", and you can see some of the leaves starting to unfurl.

Day 9: 4.5 Inches

Day 9 and 4.5 inches.

Day 10: 5 Inches

On day 10, they measured 5 inches.

Day 11: 5.5 Inches

Day 11 and 5.5 inches.

Day 12: 6 Inches

Day 12 and 6 inches.

Day 13: 6.5 Inches

Day 13 and 6.5 inches.

Day 14: 7 Inches

Day 14 and 7 inches.

Day 15: 7.5 Inches

On day 15, the hosta leaves were 7.5 inches long. I stopped measuring, except occasionally, until it finished growing.

Day 16

This is on day 16.

Day 17

Day 17.

Day 18

Day 18.

Day 19

Day 19.

Day 20

Day 20 is on April 11.

Day 21

Day 21.

Day 22

Day 22.

Day 23

Day 23.

Day 24

Day 24.

Day 25: 10.5 Inches

On day 25, I took a measurement, and it was at 10.5 inches.

Day 28: 12 Inches

Day 28 was on April 19. The longest leaves measured 12 inches. Is it finished? It seemed to be, but we'll see.

Day 35: (April 26) Full Grown With 14-Inch Leaves

At day 35, the leaves were 14 inches long (I'm sure some were longer), and the hosta spanned 2 feet wide. I think it was finished growing for this spring.

From Small Sprouts to Large Leaves

I would love to have been able to set up a camera on a tripod to get the exact same view each day or to video the whole process. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't get the pictures exactly the same. Also, sometimes it was sunny, sometimes cloudy or rainy. I usually took them at about the same time every day (3 pm).

The video below shows what I would have liked to have done: a time-lapse view from small sprouts to large leaves. Amazing!

Hosta Is Blooming!

Hostas grow long stems and have bell-like blooms. Mine are light purple, but the color will vary depending on the species. I've seen them bloom as early as the first part of June, but mine doesn't start blooming until the end of June or early July. The following pictures were taken on July 4, 2009. After it blooms, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and die. It will be done for the year, but the following spring you will find those little sprouts, and you can watch it grow all over again.

July 4, 2009: Blooms

My hosta has light purple blooms.

I love the beautiful bell blooms, waving in the breeze.

How to Plant Hostas in Containers

The video below shows how to plant a hosta in a container. Although most hostas are planted directly in the ground, you can pot them. The one I have is in a large pot. I just leave it outside all year and let nature take care of it. I may water it occasionally if the weather is dry. I set it near the woods, in the shade, because it doesn't like too much sun.

This year the deer ate my hosta plant! Sometimes this happens when you live in the woods.

So, How Fast Do Hostas Grow?

I found that, after sprouting, hosta plants will grow at about 1/2 inch per day and reach full growth in about 30 to 35 days. Mine started sprouting at the end of March, but it will depend on the area you live in and the weather that year. It will sprout earlier and grow faster if it's a warm spring. I hope you've enjoyed your visit and have learned something, too.

Questions & Answers

Question: I have had 4 hostas in large planters for several years, each year coming back beautifully, except this year, one has only sprouted a few leaves and doesn't seem to be sprouting any more, as it's been over a couple weeks now. The others are growing normally. Any ideas?

Answer: Are the 4 hostas in the same location? If the one that's not doing well is in a shady area, it may not grow as quickly as one in a sunny area. That's the only thing I can think of. I would continue to keep an eye on it and see how it does.

Question: We have two Hostas (Pandoras’ Box) that were planted in 2018. One started sprouting two to three weeks ago. However, the other has not started to sprout. How long should we wait till we assume it isn’t coming back and plant another in its place?

Answer: I am in no way an expert on Hosta. However, if one has sprouted, I think the other won't be far behind. How about the location? If it's in a more shady area, it might take longer to sprout. I would wait another couple of weeks, just to be sure.

Question: My hostas are not coming up yet. It is the first week of April in Chicago, IL-where are you located?

Answer: I'm located in Virginia, so it is probably warmer here. Your hostas will probably be up soon, after the weather is warmer.

Question: Can you plant the Hosta plant's blooms or should you just get rid of them?

Answer: No, don't plant the blooms. (After they die, just pick them off) You can transplant the plant itself. There is a video on my page showing how to do this.

Question: Any recommendations on what size pot to use for a hosta plant? I'm trying to take into consideration what their full width will be to pick the right pot. Any suggestions?

Answer: I would say at least a 3 quart pot or larger.

Question: Warm weather came early this spring, then a hard freeze bit off my hosta sprouts. Will the hosta sprouts come back?

Answer: I think if you remove the dead buds, new buds will probably shoot up. I guess you will just have to wait and see.

Question: Have you ever seen a hosta flower only in the middle with a very big stalk and coming out to resemble a daisy or mum in growing pattern?

Answer: When the hosta blooms, it has many long stalks growing up, and each stalk has many bell-like flowers. The flowers can be different colors, depending on the type of hosta it is.

Question: If Hosta plants are kept at a constant temperature do they keep going rather than dying back?

Answer: Hosta plants need the cooler fall temperatures to go into dormancy. If they don't go into dormancy they will not be able to regenerate. It is their natural way, and will die out otherwise. Hosta is an outside plant.

Question: We live in Florida where it does not freeze. Will a Hosta plant still go dormant?

Answer: I'm not an expert on this, but I have read that in warm climates, Hosta plants will still go dormant, but for a shorter period. Also, some Hosta plants will thrive better in warm climates than others. I recommend doing a search on the Hosta that are best suited for your area.

Question: My Hostas came up and are beautiful but now it looks like some kind of insect is eating them. It may be slugs. What can I do to prevent that from happening?

Answer: Slugs are a common problem for hostas. There are several ways to prevent them, including sprinkling the ground around your hosta with coffee grounds or Epsom salt. Another is putting a circle of stones around the plant to "re-direct" the slug. Also, there are slug deterrent products you can purchase. For other methods, try doing a search online for "preventing slugs on hosta plants". You are sure to find an answer that works for you.

© 2009 Faye Rutledge

Karen on October 21, 2019:

I have so much sun in my front yard, which is where I want several hostas I’ve heard there are varieties that take sun is this so or just a ploy to sell I love them but want them to live! Thanks for any suggestions

Greg Disco on May 18, 2018:

I think this is a place for special people.

Liza on April 10, 2018:

This was a great post! I’m thinking of starting a Hosta garden and

It’s given me inspiration!

Lori on June 27, 2017:

I bought some hostas a year ago, but never planted because we were going to be moving. The short of it is, they have dried out and did not bloom this year once planted. Are they gone for good?

Thanks

Anna from chichester on April 27, 2014:

What a gorgeous plant - you're clearly a bit of a green thumb! I hadn't heard of josta before but I think I might get one

gadifi lm on July 26, 2013:

We do and we love them as they are blooming right now, great lens and great information thanks for sharing this information with us

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on May 27, 2013:

@anonymous: Ken, thanks so much for your visit and comment. I'm glad I could help you with the spacing of your hostas. I hope you have good luck with them. I'm sure you will, as hostas are a hearty plant and grow fast.

anonymous on May 27, 2013:

Thanks for posting your hosta pics. Your blog has been very helpful. I planting ten yesterday 1 foot apart. I'm now going to dig up and plant 2 feet apart!

Shay Marie from Southern California on May 09, 2013:

I'd never heard of Hostas until two days ago. My aunt asked me to post a craigslist ad for the plant sale she's having this Saturday, and Hostas are among the plants she's selling. Fancy me stumbling across your article on the same day I posted the ad!

anonymous on April 28, 2013:

You sure have a good attitude about the deer using your hosta for a private buffet and they seem to particularly like host. Someone told me they use a product called Deer Stopper than doesn't smell as bad as Liquid Fence. We still have snow on the ground in April when your plant is so happily growing, what a fun idea! :)

Sue Dixon from Grasmere, Cumbria, UK on April 21, 2013:

Great fun! I love hostas- I've got about 5 different ones. Most are just about an inch high. Some have yet to show. Let the battle with the slugs begin!

anonymous on September 26, 2012:

I did enjoy watching your hosta grow. I have several in my front yard and back. They are so beautiful.

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on May 24, 2012:

@anonymous: Thank you for this great resource for ordering hosta plants.

anonymous on May 24, 2012:

We'd love to see you order from us, www.nhhostas.com or visit us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Hampshire-Hosta...

anonymous on May 21, 2012:

Having a Hosta plant put in today by landscapers alongside my driveway. Thanks for the info. re: Hostas!

anonymous on May 21, 2012:

Having a Hosta plant put in today by landscapers alongside my driveway. Thanks for the info. re: Hostas!

Virginia Allain from Central Florida on May 10, 2012:

I love the way hosta grows and makes such a perfect plant for a shady spot.

anonymous on March 20, 2012:

you answered all my questions, very helpful. i thought all my plants have died, now i have something to enjoy and look forward to watching them grow. thank you.

Camden1 on March 19, 2012:

I have several hostas in the front of the house. So far, they've come back every year (four years now - it's practically a miracle)!

MariaMontgomery from Coastal Alabama, USA on March 17, 2012:

I've been watching my hostas this year. It is amazing how fast they grow. Nice lens. Beautiful photos. Liked.

Ruth Coffee from Zionsville, Indiana on June 07, 2011:

I love hosta! I planted all of mine from bulbs and get excited every year when they start sprouting. Enjoyed this lens.

tssfacts on April 30, 2011:

What a delightful article. I at the moment don't have a hosta plant. You have inspired me that I just might be able to grow one.

anonymous on April 30, 2011:

i am worried about my "DRINKING GUORD" doesn't seem to be coming up. It is almost May 1. in the Toronto area."JUNE AND FIRST FROST" doing quite well, and if i stretch my imagination, "NIGHT B4 XMAS AND HONEYBELLS" may be coming along

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on April 26, 2011:

@HelenHoliday: Yes, they'll come back every spring! I always love to see the little sprouts popping through the dirt. :)

HelenHoliday on April 26, 2011:

I lave four hostas in a small bed just outside my bedroom window. Every winter I think surely they've died from frost, but they miraculously return every spring. I love them!

ElizabethJeanAl on April 20, 2011:

I love my hostas but they are not as pretty as yours.

caketech on March 24, 2011:

I love hostas...they are starting to sprout right now in my yard! I loved your idea for this lens. Well done!

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on August 15, 2010:

@anonymous: Thanks for your info. I've never cut mine back, but they do die out, usually in August. This year was hotter than usual and they died out in July. We had a little rain, and in a few days there were new sprouts and they were growing strong again. I've never seen them do that before!

anonymous on August 11, 2010:

Has anyone cut their hostas to the ground??My hostas are beautiful until hot sun in July....I have no shade here.I cut them down with the hedge trimmer and in 2 weeks they returned and are growing like weeds; really pretty.I plan on doing this every July--earlier next year since they were really getting burned.Same here--they grow an inch each day--lovely to watch.

jolou on May 25, 2010:

I don't have a hosta, but they are lovely. Great lens.

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on May 13, 2010:

@HorseAndPony LM: Oh, thanks so much for the visit and blessing! A nice surprise!

HorseAndPony LM on May 13, 2010:

I'm back for a visit! I am a huge fan of hostas and love this lens. Blessed! http://www.squidoo.com/horseandpony-squidangel

marsha32 on April 27, 2010:

wow! looks like they grow really quickly

Moe Wood from Eastern Ontario on April 09, 2010:

Cool. If you kind of scroll down looking at the pictures as they go by it's like watching one of those flip motion books. I love hostas. Congrats on the purple star!

HorseAndPony LM on April 09, 2010:

Congratulations on your purple star! I love hostas. We recently moved and this will be the first year we do not have any. Thanks for sharing. I loved watching your hosta grow.

Holley Web on April 09, 2010:

That is beautiful! You could make a flip book out of those pics and watch them grow. Very well presented and makes me want the hosta back that I gave my mom ;) Congratulations on the Purple Star!

Carolan Ross from St. Louis, MO on April 08, 2010:

Lovely! They DO grow so very fast, that is documented well here and this lens is so well-designed. I'll be moving this year and will dig up my favorite hostas to take with me, better do that soon before they get any bigger.

Pmona LM on April 07, 2010:

Great job of documenting the grown of this hosta plant. Amazing how quickly it grows!

Rhonda Albom from New Zealand on April 07, 2010:

Fantastic job on this lens on your hosta. I love the photo diary!

WindyWintersHubs from Vancouver Island, BC on April 06, 2010:

Stopping by to Congratulate you on your lovely Purple Star! :)

WindyWintersHubs from Vancouver Island, BC on April 06, 2010:

Brilliant lens and great info! I really enjoyed watching your hosta plant grow. We have two near the front walkway that my hubby planted. He has taken up the green thumb! Thanks for sharing! :)

Mary Beth Granger from O'Fallon, Missouri, USA on April 06, 2010:

Stop by for another visit. My hosta's are just starting to peak out of the ground. I love springtime.

ohcaroline on February 18, 2010:

Very interesting...and your photos are excellent. I don't have any hostas yet.

anonymous on June 07, 2009:

I love your lens on Hostas. I love gardening, and anything to do with plants really gets my interest!Thnx for your comments in my guestbook as well!

Debbie Hawkins from British Columbia, Canada on May 19, 2009:

What a unique lens! thanks for the SqidU feedback & lensroll! This page isone that will definitely compliment my how to make a moss planter lens - will be adding a link here on it!

JanieceTobey on May 08, 2009:

Nice lens! Your hosta is really looking beautiful now! 5 stars

EpicFarms on May 08, 2009:

What a great idea for a lens! and you were right ~ it shot up in a hurry! Excellent job with the documentation (and the photos :o)

anonymous on May 05, 2009:

Very enjoyable. Excellent lens idea. I felt like I was there with you. Love your use of pictures! 5*s.

Tiddledeewinks LM on April 26, 2009:

What a unique idea for a lens.

Mary Beth Granger from O'Fallon, Missouri, USA on April 22, 2009:

I like this lens. It is so neat to watch the hosta grow. Good job!

Snozzle on April 22, 2009:

What a great idea for a lens. Loved it.Mike.

religions7 on April 18, 2009:

Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)

Sarunas on April 13, 2009:

Great lens : )Well Done. 5* from me.Keep it up :)

Simeyc1 on April 08, 2009:

LOL as Arnie would say 'Hosta-la-vista'.....cute Lens...made me laugh....now I have to go and stare at the dozens of Hostas growing in my garden!

x3xsolxdierx3x lm on April 08, 2009:

You can tell the effort and time that went into this lens.....personal and enjoyable...good job! :) 5 stars

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on April 08, 2009:

[in reply to Ramkitten] Thanks for your kind remarks! I think the poem goes:Mary, Mary, Quite ContraryHow Does Your Garden Grow?With Cockle Shells and Little Blue Bells,And Little Maids All In A Row. :-)

Mary from Chicago area on April 08, 2009:

Wow! Very cool. We have a hosta with sort of marbled leaves--so pretty. Not sure it grows as fast as yours, though! Nice work, 5*****

Adrienne Jenkins on April 08, 2009:

Cool idea for a lens. I love it the way hosta and lily of the valley emerge from the ground. You know it's really spring when the come up.

MikeMoore LM on April 07, 2009:

This lens is almost like a virtual chia pet. Nicely done. Great idea. 5 stars!

Deb Kingsbury from Flagstaff, Arizona on April 07, 2009:

What a neat idea! Isn't there a song or something that has a line, "How does my garden grow?" or some such thing? For some reason, that's what popped into my head when I saw this. We rarely notice or get to see this kind of thing--probably partly because many of us are too busy to notice--so this is really cool. 5 stars for an original lens!

Does hosta stay green in winter?

What happens to hosta in winter?

Do hostas look dead in winter?

Should hostas be cut back for winter?