HOSTA. Plantain lily. East Asia. Perennials prized for their broad, deeply veined, shiny leaves and lily-like blossoms borne on erect stems in summer. They can be placed almost anywhere in summer-rainfall regions, making broad carpets over time. In California, however, they are best grown in containers or consigned to shady corners of the garden which never dry out. All are winter deciduous. Light to rather heavy shade, most soils, regular watering. Hardy to below 0^oF.

‘Aoki’. A dwarf selection with relatively broad, bluish green 8" leaves and lavender flowers on 1’ stems.

‘Corralitos Moon’. Corralitos is a small Central California village where the air is clear and the full moons are spectacular. It is also where I once had a small and crazy nursery, where many good people brought me new things to try, like the seed lot which resulted in this selection. It has very broad leaves, bright yellow when they first emerge, later taking on some chartreuse shading. I believe the flowers are white.

fortunei ‘Albo-picta’. This cultivar name is usually applied to plants with white-centered leaves and seems inappropriate here. The selection at hand has broad leaves up to 1’ long, chartreuse with a darker margin when they first unfold. Later the variegation is less distinct. The flower stems are about 2’ tall, with large, pale lavender blossoms.

fortunei ‘Aureo-marginata’. This selection is distinguished by 8-12" wavy-edged green leaves with bright gold margins. It carries its lavender flowers on 1½’ stems.

‘Honeybells’. A hybrid with bright, exceptionally shiny green foliage and fragrant lavender flowers on 2-3’ stems.

‘Minibelle’. This is one of several promising hybrids raised from seeds given to me years ago by Michael Willetts (to whom I apologize for the whimsical name). It is about a quarter the size of a typical hosta, with tight crowns of rather narrow, deep green 2-4" leaves. Small, lavender bells are carried in early summer on 6-8" stems.

‘Moon Song’. This is another beautiful selection from seeds provided by Michael Willetts. Unlike the last, it is a full-sized hybrid, with broad, smooth leaves 1’ or more long. They are almost uniformly pale yellow in new growth, gradually taking on chartreuse tints as the summer passes.

sieboldiana. One of the showiest, with nearly round, deeply veined leaves, colored bright bluish green, 1’ or more long, and pale lavender flowers.

undulata ‘Variegata’. As the name suggests, H. undulata has conspicuously wavy-edged leaves. In this selection the leaves are liberally and irregularly splashed with cream.

ventricosa. The large, dark green leaves of this species have exceptionally deep veining. Flowers of rather bright lavender blue are carried on 1½’ stems.