Hostas for Pollinators
- John Plant
- 13 hours ago
- 4 min read
The wonderful Hosta has been around for many years and is generally grown for its varied foliage and size of the plant. From the popular blue leaf, through to green, and even yellow.
They could even have a yellow or white variegation on their leaf. The leaf could be a number of shapes from round, to elongated, with or without rippled edged. They can even have green or red leaf stalks or petioles and flower stems, scapes. Whatever the reason you grow Hostas they are not known for their flowers.
However, as an herbaceous perennial, they will all flower. Generally starting mid to late May with some as late as August. The colours range from lavender to white and even purple.
They can look fabulous, especially as a group, with swathes of colour throughout the border but questions arise as to whether these should be removed or not.
Every year, about this time, the earlier flowering Hostas are coming into bloom, and we get numerous requests for help.
Should I be cutting the flowers off my Hostas or not? This seems to be a big debate of those who are adamant they should be taken off for the health of the plant and those that just want nature to carry on as normal.
Should You Should Cut the Flowering Stems Off Your Hostas?
You spend the winter waiting and watching for the first signs of regrowth of your precious Hostas, then come late March, early April they finally start to appear.
Give them a few more weeks and they will reward you with a wonderful show of colourful foliage, that is surpassed by no other leafy perennial.
Then by late May, early June you start seeing flower spikes, or scapes, as they are professionally known. Small, trumpet-shape blooms appear above the pretty foliage in summer. They come in a range of colours from whites, through Lavenders, to purples.
What do you do? Do I remove the scapes, or do I leave them there?
So, should you cut the flowers off, of your Hostas, or not?
Hostas are always a favourite choice for gardeners, due to their fabulous foliage. However, when it comes to their flowers, opinions are divided.
Some gardeners believe that cutting off the flowers is necessary to maintain the health and appearance of the plant, while others argue that the flowers add to the plant’s beauty and should be left alone.
So, seasoned gardener or not, read on to discover if you should be cutting off those Hosta flowers.
Let me put our stance to the fore. We feel that the flowers should be left until they are over. If you want to collect seed from your Hosta, then leave them alone. Here’s why!
The flowers are part of the life cycle of the Hosta and should be enjoyed. Whilst they are not primarily grown for their flowers, their blooms attract certain pollinators. Hostas produce bell-shaped flowers that bloom in summer and provide nectar for both bees & butterflies.
Bees are highly attracted to purple & lavender, and the bees can be seen in abundance during the flowering season.
The flowers are single making it easy for pollinators to use. Tubular flowers are particularly good for long-tongued bees.
The fragrance of some of the Hostas can also be appealing to other pollinators and wildlife, drawing them into your garden.
Hostas can also attract birds by providing a habitat for pollinators. Insects thrive around Hostas such as caterpillars and beetles. These become a natural food source for the birds.
Create a friendly environment for the birds and the pollinators. Why don’t you create a ‘bee bath’? Bees need hydration to cool down. Fill a shallow bowl with water and place a small twig or stick for a safe perching place.
Provide natural nesting sites for the bees that don’t live in hives. Leave a piece of bare ground for the ground-nesting bees, undisturbed, sunny & mulch free. Maybe, allow some wild areas of lawn or hedgerows to get a little long.
Why not install a ‘bee hotel’ or two featuring drilled logs or wooden blocks.
Find as many ways to attract pollinators as possible.
Ditch the chemicals, pesticides, herbicides etc. Use natural pest controls or even hand pick the pests off your plant.
While there appears to be valid reasons to cut off Hosta flowers, it’s important to consider the benefits that come with keeping them in your garden. By doing so, you can add a touch of beauty and charm to your outdoor space while also supporting the health and vitality of your plants and local ecosystem.
Take the flowering spikes off the Hosta and you will lose all of these benefits.
For goodness-sake, leave them on. They do a great job and also look great. Attracting a selection of pollinators to your garden can only enhance the look & feel of the garden but also give food & pollen for the insects.
At Rewela Hostas, we are delighted to provide a diverse selection of Hostas suitable for collectors, experienced growers, and beginners alike. As a small family-run Hosta business we are more than happy to share our expert advice on everything related to Hostas. Shop now on our on-line shop for a wide range of Hostas, from new varieties to classics.
Shop for Hostas HERE
John Plant
Rewela Hostas
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