Height: 3 feet
Spacing: 3 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 3
Other Names: Plantain Lily, Funkia
Description:
Stunning, intense gold, smooth heart shaped leaves on a very large plant; spikes of lavender flowers in early summer; a striking specimen plant in the garden or border.
Ornamental Features
Key West Hosta features dainty spikes of lavender tubular flowers rising above the foliage in early summer. Its attractive heart-shaped leaves emerge yellow in spring, turning gold in color throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
Key West Hosta is a dense herbaceous perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
- Insects
Key West Hosta is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
Planting & Growing
Key West Hosta will grow to be about 28 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 3 feet apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant does best in partial shade to full shade. Keep it well away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
