About Hosta sieboldii (Paxton) J.W.Ingram
Hosta sieboldii, commonly called the small-leaved plantain lily and yard hosta, is a flowering plant species in the family Asparagaceae. It is native to Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and Japan, and has been safely introduced to many parts of Europe, New England, and other regions of the northern continental United States. A number of cultivars are available for this species: Bare, Painted, Dash, and Lime. When in bloom, Hosta sieboldii produces bright pink and purple flowers, with a typical blooming period from mid-July to mid-August. Mature yard hostas can grow up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) in diameter, though individual cultivars may be smaller or larger than this average. The Lime cultivar is the smallest of the available varieties, reaching approximately 0.9 meters (3 feet) in diameter. Each cultivar has distinct characteristics: the Bare cultivar has dark green leaves and tall whitish-pink flowers; the Painted cultivar, which is the original cultivar, has lighter-toned but still dark green leaves with white outlines, and tall violet and pink flowers; the Dash cultivar has dark green leaves with a broad white stripe running down the center of each leaf, and flowers identical to those of the Painted cultivar; the Lime cultivar has lime green leaves with occasional white lines, and occasional whitish-pink flowers.
