It is fair to say the biggest attraction for buying Hostas are the wonderfully stunning foliage, together with the differences in shape of the leaves and size of plant.
Some even choose because of its name, as it has some meaning to them. It could be their name or a close friend, or even a character from Star Trek or even Star Wars.
However, when you decide which Hosta you choose to buy, don’t forget it is not just the foliage that matters. All Hostas flower at some point, usually between June & August. They can be from white, to lavender through to purple.
So! What about something extra from your Hosta. How about choosing one with Fragrant Flowers? Yes, there are quite a few varieties now that bear fragrance as well as beauty in their flowers.
Wouldn't it be lovely if all the flowers in our gardens were fragrant? Sadly, that’s not to be. In the past, fragrance was a very important element in the garden, but then things changed. The next generation of gardeners seemed to be more interested in larger, showier flowers at the expense of "old fashioned" traits like fragrance.
Fortunately, as with outdated clothing, everything comes back in fashion. Nowhere is this truer than in the world of gardening. You only have to look at the world of Roses!
Fragrant Hostas are certainly not a new thing on the gardening scene, although I get some funny looks when I mention that there are Hostas with fragrant flowers.
In reality, many of our grandparents actually grew what has become known as the old fashioned "August lily". Indeed this large Hosta, Hosta plantaginea, was first imported to England in 1790, and to the United States afterwards.
Hosta plantaginea - The White Sheep of the Hostas. Where it all started.
Hosta plantaginea is certainly the "white sheep" of the Hosta family for a variety of reasons. First, it is one of the few Hosta species that originated in China (as opposed to Korea and Japan). Hosta plantaginea is also the southernmost naturally occurring Hosta species making it more heat loving than other members of the genus.
The flowering habit of Hosta plantaginea certainly puts it in a class by itself. First of all the flowers are enormous by Hosta standards...6+ inches long and pure white, as compared to 1-2" long and purple for most Hostas.
Virtually every Hosta except Hosta plantaginea has flowers that open around 7am in the morning. Hosta plantaginea on the other hand opens in the afternoon. Educated scientists have still not figured out why this bizarre characteristic was selected for in the wild. The strong honeysuckle like fragrance of the old August Lily is absent in all other naturally occurring Hosta species.
Hosta plantaginea, as the name 'August Lily' suggests, bloom in late summer. This is in stark contrast to the majority of the Hosta sieboldiana based hybrids that flower from late April through June.
The first 2 fragrant Hostas appeared as early as 1950 & 1958. No more fragrant Hostas would hit the market until 1965, when Wayside Gardens of Ohio offered the first Hosta to be patented, Hosta 'Royal Standard'.
Hosta Royal Standard had narrow light green foliage but instead of purple flowers, the flowers tended more toward white. While the flowers lacked the size of Hosta plantaginea, it more than made up for it in its prolific nature and the abundance of the smaller size, but very fragrant flowers.
There are many more fragrant Hostas, but here are a few to consider….
Hosta Fragrant Dream boasts green leaves edged with a narrow yellow margin in spring that fades to white in summer. Vigorous grower that can handle lots of sun. One of those fragrant Hostas that looks great until a frost. Large fragrant near white flowers appear on tall 36" scapes during July & August
Hosta Frozen Margarita is a large Hosta with a spread of up to 50” at maturity. A variety with light green leaves and a stunning cream gold margin that turn white as they develop. Very fragrant dainty white flowers appear on 40" scapes, July to August. Excellent vigour and maintains good colour throughout summer.
Hosta So Sweet, introduced by P. Aden 1986 has been a long-term favourite with Hosta lovers, with rounded, smaller leaves than most but with a lovely green & white variegation, very upright habit, and of course pure white fragrant flowers very much on the dainty size. Winner of the American Hosta Growers Association Hosta of The Year 1996.
Hosta Fragrant Bouquet will reach up to 24” with apple green leaves with streaks of yellow and white, but the plants in commerce are often margined. Floriferous, with large white flowers (typically 3-4 inches across) with gardenia like fragrance in mid-summer, held on 30" scapes. American Hosta Growers Association Hosta Of The Year 1998 & RHS Award Of Garden Merit
Hosta Summer Fragrance has large green leaves with a streaky white to cream margin. This is a highly fragrant Hosta that produces beautiful bell-shaped, lilac flowers that stand atop vivid green heart-shaped leaves accompanied by a slight cream edging. The pretty lavender flowers bloom on 46" scapes from July through to August.
Hosta Enchiladas will form a large mound of 22"-24" in height with a spread of up to 36" at maturity. This is a sport of Hosta Avocado with a wider gold centre. Glossy yellow leaves with a dark green margin. Leaves are thick with a good substance to them, a bit shiny, a bit corrugated. Very fragrant white flowers are produced on 32" scapes, in June & July. This is a stunning Hosta from when it emerges to when it ends.
Unlike other fragrant counterparts in the garden such as Roses or Honeysuckle, where the scent wafts across the garden on a balmy evening, you may need a little closer to get a real benefit.
To learn more about Hostas, you may interested in reading : AI Generated Hosta Photographs, Watering and Feeding Your Hostas, What Are the Common Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Hostas?, Ways to Protect Your Hostas from Slugs and Snails and "Uncovering the Advantages of Bare Root Hostas:
Shop for Scented Hostas HERE
John Plant
Rewela Hostas
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