Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Show Boat Hosta, Plantain Lily, Funkia

Description:

This extraordinary selection features shiny dark green foliage with contrasting wide margins that start out yellow, then mature to white in summer; a very showy plant on its own, as an accent or massed; spikes of lavender flowers in early summer

Ornamental Features

Showboat Hosta features dainty spikes of lavender tubular flowers rising above the foliage in early summer. Its attractive glossy heart-shaped leaves emerge yellow in spring, turning dark green in colour with distinctive white edges throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Showboat Hosta is a dense herbaceous perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects

Showboat Hosta is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover

Planting & Growing

Showboat Hosta will grow to be about 14 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 28 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.