Smell the Craze - Fragrant Hostas

Fragrant hostas also tolerate heat and humidity better than most other hostas

Over 58 varieties of fragrant hostas have evolved from H. plantagenia: H. plantagenia is the only fragrant “species” hosta. All fragrant hostas have some H. plantagenia genes, and were sported from or hybridized from or any combination of both with H. plantagenia. Of the 58 fragrant varieties of hostas only 28 are available commercially. H. plantagenia has the largest bloom of all hostas on occasion reaching approximately 6 inches. The bloom is a beautiful, pure white and the most fragrant of all hosta flowers. Almost all of H. plantagenia offspring except H. Fragrant Blue have a wonderful fragrance but all have smaller blooms. No matter where they are grown, they need ample sun to create a bloom. H. plantagenia flowers bloom around 4 p.m. instead of 7 a.m. like most other hostas.

Fragrant hostas can be grown in the south because of heat and humidity tolerance:

These same fragrant varieties are often the most heat tolerant and can do well in the southern USA up to growing zone 8 and sometimes even zone 9. To learn more about hostas and rowing zones, look at our Hosta Growing Zones page. This is because the H. plantagenia species hosta evolved the furthest south of all of the species hosta plants. Specifically, they evolved in eastern China, near Beijing and Shanghai, where temperatures can be very high with high humidity. H. plantagenia is unique in that it has the ability to “reflush”, or regrow new foliage during the summer months. Most hosta species send up all their foliage in the spring.

H. plantagenia, a top hosta for hybridizing:

H. plantagenia was commonly known as “August lily.” In 1790’s H. plantagenia was brought from China to England and then to the USA. Because of the excellent traits of H. plantagenia, including a fragrant bloom, heat and humidity tolerance, large bloom, beautiful form, “reflushing” of foliage, vigorous growth, and leaf sheen, H. plantagenia has been used for hybridizing for a long time. In addition, many nice “sports” come from H. plantagenia and its offspring. The only double blooming fragrant hosta – H. plantagenia ‘Aphrodite’ H. plantagenia Aphrodite, often called just H. Aphrodite, is a spectacular double blooming, fragrant hosta which comes from H. plantagenia. Some people have a difficult time getting this hosta to bloom because it needs moist soil, warm days and cool nights and sun in just the right amounts in order to get the plant to bloom. At HostasDirect we have never had a problem getting any of our H. Aphrodite to bloom.

Deer prefer fragrant hostas over other hostas:

Caution: realize that if deer have the choice between fragrant and none fragrant hostas, they will tend to eat the fragrant hostas first! This can explain why deer will eat some hostas first and not others rather than moving along and eating them linearly as they progress through a yard or garden. For suggestions on deer and other hosta pests visit our hosta pests page.

Fragrant varieties we offer that are more heat tolerant include:

Aphrodite	Flower Power	Hoosier Harmony	Savannah Emerald
Aqua Velva	Fragrant Blue	Invincible	So Sweet
Austin Dickinson	Fragrant Bouquet	Lederhosen	Stained Glass
Avocado	Fried Bananas	Mardi Gras	Summer Fragrance
Blaze of Glory	Fried Green Tomatoes	Ming Treasure	Sweet Bo Peep
Blue Hawaii	Frosted Dimples	Miss Saigon	Sweet Innocence
Dark Shadows	Guacamole	Plantaginea	Thunderbolt
Diana Remembered	Hadspen Blue	Royal Standard	Tortilla Chip
Emily Dickinson

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