Hostas, herbaceous perennials, are shade loving, easy to grow, low maintenance plants. Unfortunately, in the Virginia Garden, hostas are a deer delicacy.

Hostas were named in honor of a German doctor, Nicolaus Host. Before being named Hosta the plant was known as Funkia, also named to honor a German doctor, Heinrich Christian Funck.

The Sieboldiana Elegans, pictured below, can grow to a 40-inch diameter and a 20-inch height. The blue leaves are intensely corrugated. The lavender-white, elegant flowers on tall stems or scapes bloom in May and June.

The American Hosta Society is a web of information on these majestic plants.