Hosta 'Little Wonder' Tweet

Genus: Hosta

Common Name: Plantain Lily 'Little Wonder'

Latin Name: Hosta 'Little Wonder'

Variety: 'Little Wonder'

Family Name: Hostaceae

Plant Description:

Hostas are hardy perennial plants grown for their beautiful structured and coloured foliage. The flowers on many cultivars are also attractive ranging white on some to lilac, lavender and purple on others. 'Little Wonder' is a small leaved hosta with compact growth. The flat, oval to heart-shaped leaves are dark green with a creamy white edge. Sometimes the white streaks into the leaves. The purple funnel-shaped flowers open in mid summer. This plant will rapidly increase in size and does best in light to full shade. There are over 70 species of hostas and around 2,000 cultivars. In the wild most species are found growing in Japan where they were depicted in art and literature as early as the 8th century. The plant was not introduced to Europe until the 19th century. In the wild hostas are found growing in a number of different habitats and generally, the more moisture available, the more sun they can stand. This is 1 to some extent in a garden situation but their favoured habitat is warm moist mountainous regions where they grow under low cloud cover or mist for much of the time. Similarly, the majority of hybrid garden plants thrive best in some shade although none like totally dense shade all the time. Providing a location with half a day in the shade or dappled light under a canopy of trees or shrubs often provides optimum growing conditions. Light requirements will differ from plant to plant according to the colour and variegation of the leaves. All hostas need a rich fertile soil and grow best on slightly acid, heavier soils. Never grow in exposed windy sites. Wind will damage the leaves and dry them out so the plant looks tired and limp. Given the right conditions, hostas can grow for several years requiring little attention. Not only do they increase in size but the leaf colour generally improves with age. These plants can provide good ground cover; the medium and large leaved varieties are good edging for paths and lawns. They are good specimen plants in a mixed border or grown in a container. They can be grown on the margins of woodland or on the edge of a pond so long as the ground is not waterlogged. They also look good planted in the shade at the base of a pergoda. These are good plants to use in flower arrangements lasting up to 3 weeks. PIck the stems in the late evening or early morning and stand in a cool, dark place in water for 12 hours. Make arrow shape cuts at the base of the stem.

Latin Name Explanation:

The name 'hosta' was given to this genus in honour of an Austrian botantist Nicolaus Thomas Host. Originally these plants were called Hemerocalis as they are closely related to daylilies.

Preferred Aspect: Partial Shade

Height: 15cm

Spread: 30cm

Form: Herbaceous

Hardiness: Frost Hardy - withstand temperature down to -5C

Grown Height: 15cm

Grown Spread: 30cm

Leaf Type: Herbaceous

Likes Soil Type:

Chalky Loam
Clay
Clay Loam
Container Compost
Loam
Peaty
Sandy
Sandy Loam
Silty

Does not thrive in Soil Type:

Hardiness: Frost Hardy - withstand temperature down to -5C

Preferred Aspect: Partial Shade

Primary Flower Colour: Purple

Primary Foliage Colour: Green Dark

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Period of Interest

Planting Period

Pruning Period

Element of Interest:

Flowers & Leaves
Leaves
Shape - Adds Character to Your Garden
Shape & Colour
Texture (Touch)


Likes PH: Acid - neutral

Does not thrive in PH:

Moisture Level: Moist well drained soil

Growth Rate: Grows and dies back in the same year (herbaceous)

After Care Required: Water Well After Planting


Work Involved: Needs Some Attention

Fragrance: Not Scented

Suitable for Small Garden:

Does it need staking?:

Plant for RHS Identification Course:

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Specific Planting:

Plant hostas in the spring just as the new shoots are emerging or in late summer to early autumn so they can settle their roots before the onset of winter. Prepare the planting hole well in advance to give the soil time to settle. The size of the planting hole should correspond to the eventual anticipated size of the plant. The large varieties will need a hole 90 cm wide and 45 cm deep. Smaller varieties still need a hole of a minimum size of 45 cm wide and 22.5 cm deep. Break up the soil at the base of the hole and then half fill with alternating 7.5 cm layers of well-rotted manure and soil, firming each layer with your heel. Position the plant in the hole. Tease out the roots of container grown hostas and remove any that are dead or damaged with a sharp knife or secateurs. Continue filling the hole with these layers and firming down. Water in well. If planting in a container, provide good drainage with a layer of crocks at the bottom of the pot. For large hostas, place a layer of well rotted compost at the base. Use a soil-based compost mixed with a little grit. Leave a 2.5 cm gap between the top of the compost and the rim of the pot to allow for giving the plant plenty of water. Mulch around the potted plant with coarse grit to retain moisture. Water retaining granules can be added to garden soil and container compost to help conserve moisture in areas prone to drying out.

Specific Care:

Hostas like plenty of water, drinking up to 4.5 litres a day. Always water directly around the roots with a hose or a can without a rose attached. Avoid sprinkling water on the leaves as this can bruise them, cause scorching and destroys the bloom on some of the blue varieties. The aim is to provide continuously moist soil and avoid extreme wetness or dryness. Try and water in the morning rather than the evening when slugs and snails will emerge to enjoy the wet conditions. Hostas grown in containers need to be watered every few days from the time the shoots emerge to until the leaves die down in autumn. Again soak the compost around the roots rather than sprinkling water around the whole plant. Remove yellowing leaves from the hosta and any companion plants growing nearby before they start to decay and encourage slugs and snails. These pests can do considerable damage in some gardens and can be attracted to the mulches around the plants as well as to the hostas themselves. Sharp sand or rough bark around garden plants can be a deterrant. A number of organic products are now available which need to be applied from February onwards to slow down the rapid increase in the slug and snail populations in the spring. Hostas grown in pots can be provided with more protection against these pests. Always raise the pots above the ground, and spread a 5 cm wide ring of vaseline round the pot about half way up or spray the rim of the pot with a lubricant such as WD40. Wrapping copper tape around the middle of the container is said to give off an electric charge which repels the slugs. Hostas grown in containers will need to be repotted, and divided if necessary, after 2-3 years.

Specific Feeding:

On heavy soils such as clay apply an annual mulch of equal quantities by volume of manure/compost and sharp sand. If your soil is sandy, mulches may be needed 2 or 3 times a year. In autumn mulch with manure/compost and in spring apply fibrous material such as leaf mould or cocoa shells. Smaller hostas on any soil are best mulched with leaf mould, as overuse of fertiliser can make these plants grow out of character. Always apply mulches in a ring around the plant and never cover the plant's leaves. Depth of mulch applied should be proportional to the plant's size. Further feeding can be provided through slow release fertiliser or watering with a soluble balanced feed every 10 days. Continue such feeding from early spring to the end of June only. Too much feeding later in the summer produces soft growth which is vulnerable to attack by slugs and snails. Controlled release feed pellets placed just below the surface of the compost in early spring are ideal for hostas grown in pots. Also spraying the leaves with foliar feed every 2 weeks until the end of June will give really healthy looking plants.

Propagation

Division
From Seed

There are more plants of the same Genus. If you would like to see them all please press 'Show All' button.

Hosta fortunei 'Aurea' Hosta sieboldiana Hosta sieboldiana var. elegans Hosta sieboldiana 'Frances Williams' Hosta tardiana 'June' Hosta tokudama 'Flavocircinalis' Hosta undulata 'Variegata' Hosta ventricosa 'Variegata' Hosta venusta Hosta 'Birchwood Parky's Gold'

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