Hosta fortunei var. albopicta (v)

About this cultivar:

Hosta fortunei var. albopicta (v) is a large size Hosta that has green leaves that are yellow in the centre early in the season. Pale lavender flowers with darker streaks. It changes to an all green leaf as the season progresses into summer followed by a few viable seeds.

Until Schmid (1991) changed the status of this plant from a species to a cultivar, it had been known as Hosta fortunei 'Albo-picta'.

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), this cultivar "...possibly the same as Funkia aurea maculata, which was introduced by Philip Franz von Sieblod's nursery in 1874...."

The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by Diana Grenfell (2009) states: "Natural sport of H. 'Fortunei'...Variegation is maintained for longer if grown in light shade in a cooler climate...At its best soon after the leaves unfurl. By the end of the season the leaf blade is a dull two-tone green."

The species was named for plant explorer Robert Fortune. This plant may have been sold at one time as Mackwoods No. 9. Has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in the UK. Easy to grow and reliable!

• Position: Full sun, partial shade, full shade
• Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Flowers: June, July
• Other features: Grows well in Ballyrobert, Interesting Foliage or Fruit, Suitable for Container, Dappled Shade or Full Shade Loving
• Hardiness: H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20°C), Fully hardy - grows well in Ballyrobert!
• Habit: Clump forming
• Foliage: Deciduous
• Height: 45 - 75 cm (1.5 - 2.5ft)
• Spread: 45 - 75 cm (1.5 - 2.5 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Colour: Green, yellow
• Goes well with: Cornus, ferns, allium

About this genus:

Hosta (hos-ta) is a genus of plants commonly known as plantain lilies, giboshi, or the old botanical name Funkia. The name Hosta is in honor of the Austrian botanist Nicholas Thomas Host. However most modern plants were introduced from Japan to Europe by Philipp Franz von Siebold in the mid-19th century. Don't worry about Philipp's legacy being forgotten though; he has a species named after him! (Hosta sieboldiana). 

Hosta are often touted as the best shade-loving plants for the perennial garden, which is hard to dispute. In cultivation, Hosta readily mutate and have produced thousands of novel colours and leaf forms (blue, gold, and variegated are the most popular). Because of their great foliage Hosta are often thought of as foliage-only plants, but it is worth noting that many cultivars  have fantastic flowers - see "Sum and Substance" and "Stained Glass" for example.

You will read that for best performance, Hosta prefer to be out of full-sun. However if you live on these islands it is doubtful you will ever get any full-sun; so you may try them in your brightest spot as long as they have some moisture. You may have had some experience with slugs and Hosta. So have we. We have found that cultivars matter (some are tastier to slugs than others) so we try to grow only slug resistant cultivars or ones that grow so many new leaves the slugs can't keep up. We've also found that, by not using chemicals, little mites that eat slugs eggs multiply and keep the population down - let nature run its course! Some slug-loving-predator should turn up eventually!

How to use Hosta? Well, if you are paranoid about slugs, place the plant in the middle or back of the border where you can only see the upper part of the plant. Slugs don't climb so high so the lower leaves that get slug damaged won't be seen! As for plant partners we put some red stemmed dog-woods near or through them (Cornus), or large leaf-ferns. It is common to put bulbs in and around Hostas; we do it with Allium. But we don't do it with Narcissi or Tulipa; they don't like the competition.