Hostas

Hostas ... flowers that are borne in clusters at the tip of stalks that emerge from the leaves. Bloom time varies from late spring to early autumn, depending on the species. The fruit is a long capsule. The ornamental plants are frequently grown for their conspicuous foliage, which may be light-to-dark green, yellow, blue, or variegated. The leaves are generally large but range in size from 1.2 to 45 cm (0.5 to 18 inches) long and 1.2 to 30 cm wide. Hosta (Funkia) is a genus of about 23–40 species of lily-like plants native to northeast Asia. They were once classified in the family Liliaceae but are now included in the family Agavaceae by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. The scientific name is also used as the common name; in the past they were also sometimes called the Corfu Lily, the Day Lily, or the Plantain lily, but these terms are now obsolete. The Japanese name Giboshi is also used in English to a small extent. The rejected generic name Funkia, also used as a common name, can be found in some older literature. Taxonomists differ on the number of species; as such, the list at the right may be taken loosely. The genus may be broadly divided into three subgenera. Interspecific hybridization is generally possible, as all species have the same chromosome number with the exception of H. ventricosa, a natural tetraploid that sets seed through apomixis. Many varieties formerly described as species have been taxonomically reduced to cultivar status, while retaining Latin names resembling species (e.g., H. 'Fortunei').