Hostas, still asHostas or sweetheart lilies are known, are wonderful, easy-care foliage plants for shady and semi-shady locations. They form large mounds of showy leaves that quickly fill gaps in the garden, and their flower spikes attract bees and other pollinators. Although the popular perennials are generally considered very easy to grow, there are some conditions that can cause hostas not to bloom. Here we explain why.
When do hostas bloom?
The majority of hostas produce flowers. These appear depending on the varietyin summer and autumn. There are also some hosta varieties that do not produce flowers, but they are much rarer.
Experts recommend combining a few different varieties that bloom at different times next to each other in the bed. This way you can have a pretty, long-blooming bed.
These hostas can be combined wonderfully:
- The beautiful oneGarden hosta “Elegans”blooms from June to July
- ‘Patriot’has its flowering period from July to August
- ‘Fragrant Blue’and‘Honeybells’bloom from late summer to autumn. In fact, most Hosta plantaginea varieties bloom in August.
Also read:Hostas in the pot do not bloom: Possible causes
Hosta flower colors
Hosta flower colors range from white to pink, lavender, violet and purple. The flowers can be purple on the outside and white on the inside, white with lavender stripes, or white and speckled with purple. There are hundreds of unique variations. Beneficial insects feel magically attracted to these colorful flowers. They also enjoy drinking nectar from the bell-shaped flowers of hostas.
How long do hosta flowers last?
Each individual hosta flower does not last very long. In fact, they generally only last about a day. However, the hosta can bear 50 or more flowers on each flower stalk. These flowers don't all open at the same time, but rather over several days to a week or so.
Each individual hosta plant can produce multiple flower stalks during each flowering period. Under ideal conditions they even produce around 10 flower stalks. In total, this flowering cycle lasts about 4 weeks. Even if the flowers themselves are short-lived, they can delight us for a long time.
What should you do after flowering?
As soon as every flower on the stem has withered, it should be cut off. Push the leaves aside, cutting the stem as close to the mother plant as possible. This way you don't end up with a pincushion effect from all the cut stems.
This prevents the stem from producing seeds and also encourages the production of new flowers.
You may be thinking, “What if I want my hosta to produce seeds?” And it's okay if you do that, but remember that the plants you will grow from seeds will be very different from the mother plant. The hosta is best propagated and rejuvenated by division.
Do hostas bloom every year?
Yes, they SHOULD bloom every year.
In case you're unfamiliar with this concept, not every plant blooms every year. Some plants, such as biennials, only develop a rosette of leaves in the first year and do not flower until the following year. But hostas are not biennial.
They should bloom at the same time every year. If your plant bloomed the first year and doesn't bloom the next year, there's probably another problem.
What to do if your hosta isn't blooming
So you know you've planted a flowering hosta variety and its typical bloom period has come and gone. There are several reasons why your hosta isn't blooming.
1. It was just planted
Did you plant the hosta this year? If so, it's possible that the plant was still adjusting to its new location and didn't care about producing flowers this year.
This happens from time to time. Being transplanted to a new location is stressful. It may be that you planted the plant just when it would normally produce flowers and it was disturbed.
2. The soil is not nutrient-rich enough
All Hosta species thrive in rich, loamy soil. Amend poor garden soils with organic compost and a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch around hosta plants to increase nutrients and retain moisture in the soil. Hostas thrive in soil that is evenly moist but not waterlogged or wet. The ideal soil pH is 6.5 to 7.5.
Fertilize hostas in spring and summer, but stop fertilizing in August to allow the plants to harden off before cold weather arrives. Use a balanced fertilizer (NPK 10-10-10) suitable for foliage plants. Apply a slow-release granulate in early spring, followed by a water-soluble, balanced fertilizer in mid-summer. Follow the application instructions on the label depending on the size, quantity and age of your hosta plants.
3. The hosta doesn't get enough water
Too much water can even cause the rhizomes (flat, horizontal roots) to rot. Hostas need about 2 inches of water per week. For the first growth period of the young plant in your garden, it is better to water heavily and deep into the roots 2 to 3 times a week. If your hosta is already established or has been in your landscape for a year or two, water heavily once a week during dry weather.
4. Your hosta isn't getting enough sun
You may be saying, “Wait a minute… I thoughtHostas are shade plants!” Hostas like shade, but not too deep a shade. This is a common misconception. They still need some sunlight to form flowers. In fact, every plant needs this. This is why many of the plants you see in full shade, like ferns, don't bloom.
An hour or two of direct sunlight or several hours of filtered sun makes all the difference. The ideal location would be with morning sun and afternoon shade. If your plants are in deep shade, they may not develop flowers and instead focus on spreading their foliage. If you theHostas under dense treesgrow, see if there are some tree branches you can remove to let a little light shine through.
Which hosta has fragrant flowers?
Some hosta flowers are very fragrant! The most famous type of fragrant hosta is Hosta plantaginea. It is aptly called the fragrant sweetheart lily. The 'Aphrodite‘, ‘Guacamole' and 'So Sweet' are three very fragrant H. plantaginea hybrids.
Otherwise, finding hostas with fragrant flowers is not that difficult. Many of them have “Fragrant” in her name!
Here are some fragrant hosta varieties:
- Fragrant Gold –As the name suggests, this variety has golden yellow leaves and produces fragrant, whitish-lavender flowers.
- Fragrant Blue– This beauty has blue-green, heart-shaped leaves and fragrant light purple flowers.
- Fragrant Bouquet– This is an apple green variety with striking yellow leaf edges. The flowers are white and purple and have a fantastic scent.
- Summer Fragranceis another variegated and also very fast growing variety. The leaves are dark green with creamy white edges. The dark lavender flowers exude a wonderful scent in late summer.
