Hosta

The hosta garden at the Learning Gardens is located underneath the oak tree between the water and herb gardens.  This garden was situated here to take advantage of the shade of the oak tree and its prominence in the garden. 
Hosta leaves come in four main colors: blue, green, yellow, and white.  Combinations of these colors as well as the intensity of these colors are what make hostas unique.  The leaves can have wide, irregular margins, or very distinct but thin margins.  Color may change from spring through fall.

The leaf surface may be flat, curled, cupped, wavy, contorted, piecrust, or furrowed.  Flat surfaces have even and smooth features.  A rugose leaf has uneven features such as dimpled, puckered, embossed, ruffled, pleated, wrinkled, and crinkled leaf surfaces.  Cupped leaf surfaces are cupped around the margins.  Wavy leaves are relatively smooth but wave or undulate along the margins.  Contorted leaves are warped or distorted.  Piecrust leaves have closely spaced, distinct, regular, undulations along the margins.  Furrowed leaves show the veins sunken or impressed, creating a ribbed effect.

For more information, please see this Penn State Montgomery County page

Penn State Horticulture Department

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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