August lily, Fragrant Plantain-lily
Hosta plantaginea

Family: Asparagaceae

What it is like

A perennial plant. It has rhizomes or underground stems which are about 1.5-2 cm thick. It grows 50-75 cm high and 60-90 cm wide. The leaves are heart-shaped and light green. The leaf stalk is 20-40 cm long. The leaf blade is oval and 14-25 cm long by 8-16 cm wide. There are 6-10 pairs of veins. The leaves are glossy and have conspicuous veins. They are held on upright leaf stalks. The flowers are pure white and have a sweet smell. The fruit is a capsule about 6 cm long by 1 cm wide. It is 3 angled.

There are 70 Hosta species. It is used in medicine. Also put in the family Hostaceae.

Where it is found

It is a warm temperate plant. It is frost hardy. It grows in China in grassy slopes and rocky places from sea level to 2200 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 8-10.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Canada, China, Europe, France, India, Japan, Korea, North America, Tasmania

How it is used for food

The flowers are cooked as a delicacy. It needs to be parboiled to detoxify. A small amount of the root is cooked with meat. The leaves are used to make pastry.

Edible parts

Leaves, stem, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Jade hairpin, Maruba, Yu zan

Synonyms

Hemerocallis plantaginea Lam; Hosta plantaginea f. stenantha F. Mackawa;