Hosta Fireworks

Hosta 'Fireworks', awarded in the UK for its qualities by the Royal Horticultural Society in 2012, is a delightful small variety. The plant produces long, slender, upright leaves with cream-colored edges finely bordered and streaked with very dark green, and then spikes of light purple flowers in summer. It is a very hardy perennial that forms a particularly elegant and bright groundcover in damp, shaded areas of the garden. Its small size is perfect for container cultivation.

Hosta 'Fireworks' is a seedling of the Loyalist variety. It is a deciduous perennial that is very hardy, with its growth emerging from the ground in spring. It belongs to the Asparagus family. Slow-growing but long-lived, this variety forms a small clump of leaves reaching 25 cm (10in) in height and 30 cm (12in) in spread, sometimes a bit more depending on the growing conditions. Its leaves are thick, lanceolate with cordate bases, smooth margins, and pointed tips. Its lamina is traversed by discreet veins. Flowering stems, about 45 cm (18in) tall, emerge from the centre of the variegated foliage in July-August, bearing clusters of bell-shaped, non-fragrant mauve flowers.

Hostas like damp, well-drained, and rich soils; they dislike drought and scorching exposures. An afternoon sunlit location should be avoided as it can burn the leaves of these perennials. With their generous and decorative foliage, hostas are perfect as groundcover, in borders, or in shaded to semi-shaded flower beds. Mix hostas together, associate them with ferns and other low-growing groundcover perennials such as creeping bugles and lamiums. This way, you will enhance the shaded and slightly moist parts of the garden by creating a pleasant haven of moisture for the summer. Hostas also thrive in pots that should be placed in semi-shade and watered regularly. Plant them with persicarias, carex, and astilbes around a pond.

Most species commonly found in our gardens were introduced from Japan. Hostas are edible and are called "urui" in Japan, where they are commonly consumed.