Hosta 'Pandora's Box'

Sizes available: 1 quart

Basics: zones 3-9, 4-6" x 5-6", shade to part shade, lavender bloom over diminutive leaves with blue-green margins and white centers in mid-summer, likes consistently moist woodland soils, but is drought tolerant once established

Common names: Plantain Lily, Funkia

Family: Asparagaceae

Origin/Distribution: Species Hostas hail from China, Japan, Korea, and the eastern edge of Russia. They have a special place in people's hearts. We could say they are the dogs of the plant world and just like dogs have been hybridized, selected, bred, and cross bred to create thousands of registered varieties. The American Hosta Society recognizes over 7,200. 

Habitat: Species have a variety of habitats, but some shade and moisture are pretty consistent desires. They are found in rich woodlands, along forest margins, damp meadows and open grassland at higher elevations, on moss-covered trees (H. venusta), peat bogs (H. alismifolia), stream banks and swamps (H. kiyosumiensis), mountainous forests (H. plantaginea). Some grow on steep slopes and in rock walls. 

More: I brought in a few smaller hostas for a container project that I am doing and I thought other folks might be charmed by them, too. They also work well in the front of a shady border or in a shady rock garden with other diminutive partners such as Carex rosea, the smaller Alchemillas like alpina or erythropoda, Polygonatum humile, and Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila'. I have found hostas to be surprisingly drought tolerant once established. 

Nursery: Van Berkum

Image credits: Van Berkum Nursery