Narrow-leaved plantain lily

Narrow-leaved plantain lily: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Dense, rounded clump 40–45 cm tall and 50–60 cm wide, which widens a little each year.

Foliage

Narrow, lance-shaped, 15–20 cm long and 4–6 cm wide, glossy dark green, with a wavy edge and a long, grooved stalk.

Flower

Trumpet-shaped flowers in purple to lavender shades, in racemes on stems rising above the foliage, in August–September.

Autumn

The foliage turns yellow and collapses after the first night frost.

Roots

A fleshy, dense rootstock with thick roots; easy to divide and move.

Flowering: August–September · Plants: March–May and September · Pruning: November

Why grow it?

• Glossy, narrow foliage that stays ornamental all summer, where few plants cope in shade.
• Quickly grows into a dense ground cover that suppresses weeds.
• Flowers late, in August and September, with purple trumpets that attract bees.
• Very hardy, long-lived and almost maintenance-free.
• Lovely in pots and containers on a shady patio.

Narrow-leaved plantain lily: where does it grow best?

• Part shade to shade: a spot with morning sun or dappled light under trees is ideal. In full sun the leaf edges scorch.
• Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil: loam or clay, acid to chalky. On sand, add plenty of compost.
• Average to wet: the soil should stay moist in summer, but without standing water in winter.
• Sheltered from strong wind, which can tear the leaves.
• Space plants 50–60 cm apart; as ground cover 40–50 cm.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

0.45 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -35 °C)

Goes well with

• Ferns: Fine, feathery fronds next to the smooth leaves of the hosta.
• Heuchera: Coloured foliage in the same part shade.
• Barrenwort: Delicate flowers in spring and foliage that is decorative all year.
• Japanese anemone: Pink or white flowers in late summer above the hostas.
• Lady’s mantle: A light, yellow-green edge at the front of the border.

Narrow-leaved plantain lily: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September.

1. Plant in March–May or in September, when the soil is moist and not frozen.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in plenty of compost or leaf mould.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, with the crown just at or below the soil surface.
4. Leave 50–60 cm between plants.
5. Water thoroughly straight away and keep the soil moist during the first year.
6. Spread a layer of leaf mould around the plant to keep the soil cool and moist.

Care

Water

Regularly and generously in dry weather, especially in the first year and in pots. Water at the base, not over the leaves.

Feeding

In spring compost or an organic feed. In pots a liquid feed monthly from April to August.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould keeps the soil cool and moist and feeds the plant.

Slug watch

Check in spring as the shoots emerge and after rain; see problems.

Deadheading

Cut the flower stems off at the base after flowering, so the plant does not waste energy on seed.

Tip: Plant hostas in spring in a slug-free setting: in a pot on a stand, with a barrier of crushed shells, or with slug nematodes.

Narrow-leaved plantain lily: when to prune it?

Pruning months: November.

When: After the first night frost in November you clear away the dead foliage; flower stems are cut after flowering.

How:

• Cut the collapsed foliage off just above the ground in November.
• Do not put cut foliage on the compost heap if it carries slug eggs; take it away or let it rot down elsewhere.
• Cut the flower stems off at the base after flowering.
• In summer, remove damaged or brown leaves to keep the clump tidy.

Caution: Dead foliage shelters slugs and their eggs. Clear it away before winter.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In early spring, as the new shoots emerge, or in early September. Lift the clump and split it with a sharp spade or knife into pieces with at least two shoots and roots. Replant at once and water well. Dividing every 4–5 years keeps the plant healthy.

Seed

Sow seed in spring; it germinates slowly and seedlings do not always resemble the parent. It takes 3–4 years for them to form a decent clump.

Narrow-leaved plantain lily: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −35 °C.

• Fully hardy to about −35 °C: no protection is needed, even in the hardest Belgian winters.
• The foliage dies back after the first frost; the plant overwinters as a crown with buds just below the soil.
• In a pot: put it in sheltered shade and do not let the pot stand in water; wrap it in hessian in hard frost.
• Late spring frost can damage young shoots: cover them with horticultural fleece.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs: Holes in the leaves: the greatest enemy of hostas. Pick off slugs in the evening, lay a barrier of crushed shells or set a beer trap. Slug nematodes in spring and autumn help.
• Vine weevil grubs: The fat white grubs eat the roots; the plant goes limp. Use biological nematodes in August–September.
• Leaf scorch: Brown, dry edges on the leaves in sun or drought. Plant in shade and water.
• Wildlife: Rabbits and deer eat hostas down to the ground. Protect with netting.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Divide. Watch for slugs on the new shoots.
• April: Plant. Apply compost. Cover against late frost.
• May: Plant. Mulch. Control slugs.
• June: Water in dry weather.
• July: Water. Cut off damaged leaves.
• August: Flowering begins. Nematodes against vine weevil grubs.
• September: Flowering. Plant or divide.
• October: The foliage turns yellow.
• November: Clear away dead foliage.
• December: Dormant.

Edible and useful

Not edible. Hostas are poisonous to dogs, cats and horses: the leaves contain saponins, which cause vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy when chewed. In Japan the young shoots of some hostas are cooked as a vegetable, but do not let children eat the leaves or flowers, and do not use your garden hostas in the kitchen. Dogs like to dig in the cool soil under the large leaves and young dogs chew the emerging shoots: clear up cut and dead leaves straight away, and do not give them to rabbits or guinea pigs. Call your vet if an animal has eaten a lot. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The plant is named after Nikolaus Thomas Host, an Austrian physician and botanist of the 18th–19th centuries.
• Hostas can live for decades and get better with age, since the clump grows a little each year.
• In Japan, where the plant comes from, it grows in moist meadows and woods on mountain slopes.