Fragrant plantain lily

Fragrant plantain lily: how do you recognise it?

Habit

A broad, dense clump about 60 cm tall and 90 cm wide; the leaves die back in winter.

Leaves

Large, heart-shaped to oval, glossy light to yellowish green, with deep, curved veins.

Flower

White trumpets about 10 cm long on sturdy stems above the leaves, in August and September.

Scent

Strong and sweet, especially in the late afternoon and evening, when the flowers open.

Roots

Thick, fleshy roots and a short rhizome; the clump widens slowly.

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

Why grow it?

• The only hosta with large, strongly scented white flowers, late in summer.
• Glossy, fresh green leaves that look lush and calm all summer.
• It tolerates more sun than other hostas, in soil that stays moist enough.
• Bumblebees and other bees visit the large flowers.
• Long-lived: a clump that gets better every year in the same spot.
• Plant it near a terrace or seat, where you can enjoy the scent in the evening.

Fragrant plantain lily: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; more sun gives more flowers, but the soil must then stay moist.
• Fertile, humus-rich soil: loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Normal to moist soil that does not dry out in summer.
• A sheltered spot near a terrace or seat, so the scent lingers.
• Allow 80–90 cm between plants.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

0.6 m tall, 0.9 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Ferns: Fine leaves beside the broad, glossy hosta, in the same moist partial shade.
• Astilbe: Plumes in pink, red or white in summer, before the hosta flowers.
• Japanese forest grass: Graceful, arching leaves as a soft edging at the front.
• Smooth hydrangea: White flower heads in summer, in the same moist, fertile soil.

Fragrant plantain lily: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September.

1. Plant from March to May or in September, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a generous hole and mix in a few spadefuls of compost or well-rotted manure.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot: the buds should sit just below the surface.
4. Keep 80–90 cm between plants.
5. Water well 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

Watering

Water generously in dry spells, preferably in the morning at the base; a little more in a sunny spot.

Feeding

Compost or an organic fertiliser in April: it likes fertile soil.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould in spring keeps the soil cool and moist.

Slugs

Protect the young leaves in April–May: that is when they are most vulnerable.

Dividing

Not necessary, but a large clump can be divided in spring every 4–5 years.

Tip: Plant it near a terrace or window: the flowers open in the late afternoon and smell strongest then. The more sun it gets, the better it flowers, as long as you water in dry spells.

Fragrant plantain lily: when to prune it?

Pruning months: October–November.

When: It is not really pruned. In October, cut off the spent flower stems, and in November, clear away the dead leaves.

How:

• Cut spent flower stems off low down, just above the leaves.
• Remove the yellow, limp leaves after the first frost: this also removes hiding places for slugs.
• In summer, simply cut off chewed or damaged leaves if they bother you.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In April, as the shoots just break the surface, or in September: lift the clump and cut it with a spade or knife into pieces with 2–3 buds each. Replant at once and water.

Seed

Possible, but seedlings take several years to flower and do not always resemble the parent. Division is easier.

Fragrant plantain lily: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The leaves die back in autumn and the plant shoots late, not until April–May. Mark the spot so you do not dig into it.
• In a pot: stand the pot against a wall and keep the compost slightly moist in winter, not wet.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs and snails: Holes in the leaves, especially in spring. Pick them off in the evening, set a beer trap and give hedgehogs, frogs and ground beetles a place in the garden.
• Brown leaf edges: Caused by too much sun on dry soil. Water more and mulch.
• Vine weevil: Half-moon notches in the leaf edges. Pick off the beetles at night and apply nematodes against the grubs in late summer.
• Hosta virus: Mottled, distorted leaves can point to a virus. Lift such a plant, put it in the household waste and clean your tools.

Through the year

• March: Add compost or manure around the spot. Plant.
• April: Shoots appear. Control slugs. Divide or plant.
• May: Plant. Keep controlling slugs.
• June: Water in dry spells.
• July: Water in dry spells. Top up the mulch.
• August: Flowering begins. Strong scent in the evening.
• September: In flower. Plant or divide.
• October: Cut off spent flower stems. The leaves turn yellow.
• November: Clear away dead leaves.
• 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?

• In China it is called ‘jade hairpin’, because the long white flower buds look like a hairpin.
• The genus Hosta is named after Nicolaus Thomas Host, an Austrian physician and botanist.
• The species name plantaginea means ‘like plantain’ (Plantago), after the shape of the leaves.