June hosta

Sun

Partial shade or bright, dappled shade. Gentle morning sun brings out the gold colouring; strong afternoon sun can scorch the leaves, especially in hot climates.

Water

Keep evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply during dry spells and check containers frequently in summer.

Soil

Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil with good drainage; tolerates mildly acidic to mildly alkaline conditions.

Height

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m), with flower stems reaching about 2 ft (0.6 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Pale lavender flowers on slender stems in midsummer.

Foliage

Thick, pointed, heart-shaped leaves with irregular blue-green margins and centres ranging from chartreuse in deeper shade to yellow-gold with more light.

Growth

Moderate; takes several years to form a full clump.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.1 ft (0.32 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.2 ft (0.38 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water at soil level during dry weather, especially while new plants establish.
• Apply compost or a light dressing of balanced fertiliser as growth starts in spring.
• Mulch with leaf mould or compost, keeping it clear of the crown.
• Protect emerging shoots from slugs and snails.
• Divide congested clumps in spring if needed; regular division is not necessary.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems back to the base after flowering if you do not want seed heads. Remove collapsed foliage in late autumn or winter, taking care not to damage the crown.

Early spring

Clear old foliage and protect emerging shoots from slugs and snails.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps, water thoroughly, and apply compost or a light feed.

Late spring

Mulch around plants to conserve moisture, leaving the crown uncovered.

Summer

Water during dry spells and watch for leaf scorch; give container plants more afternoon shade if necessary.

Late summer

Remove faded flower stems at the base.

Late autumn

Remove collapsed foliage and check that pots and planting sites drain freely through winter.

• Edge a shaded path with repeated clumps to create a clear, low border.
• Combine with ferns and fine-leaved sedges for contrasting foliage textures.
• Use beneath deciduous trees where the soil stays moist and root competition is manageable.
• Grow in a broad container in a shaded courtyard, using the gold leaf centres to brighten the space.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Japanese, Modern courtyard, Cottage garden, Blues and silvers and Small-space.

Plant it with: Japanese painted fern, Astilbe, Siberian bugloss, Coral bells, Japanese forest grass and Hellebores.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar for bees and may attract hummingbirds in North America. The foliage is also attractive to browsing deer.

• Slugs and snails chew holes in leaves and eat new shoots: inspect at dusk, remove hiding places and use locally approved iron phosphate bait according to the label if needed.
• Deer and rabbits browse foliage: use suitable fencing or protect individual plants where browsing is frequent.
• Leaf scorch causes pale or brown, crisp patches: provide afternoon shade and steady soil moisture.
• Hosta virus X can cause unusual mottling, ink-like bleeding along veins or puckering: remove infected plants, do not propagate them, and disinfect cutting tools between plants.

Leaves, stems and roots contain saponins and are toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten, commonly causing vomiting or diarrhoea. Hosta is not generally considered toxic to people, but ornamental plants should not be treated as food.

• Halcyon hosta (Hosta 'Halcyon')

  'June' arose as a sport of 'Halcyon'; 'Halcyon' has solid blue-grey leaves without gold centres.

• Paul's Glory hosta (Hosta 'Paul's Glory')

  Forms a substantially larger clump with larger leaves; its yellow centres often become creamy white as the season progresses.

The genus Hosta honours the Austrian physician and botanist Nicolaus Thomas Host.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in early spring as shoots emerge, keeping healthy roots and at least one growing point on each division. Seedlings will not reliably reproduce 'June'.

Accepted botanical name

Hosta

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.