Hosta Christmas Candy

The Hosta 'Christmas Candy' is a variety with very thick and lanceolate leaves of bright white widely and irregularly bordered with deep medium green. Its pale lavender flower spikes in July-August are tall, standing well above the foliage. It is a vigorous selection with particularly rapid growth for a light-foliaged hosta. It has a bushy habit, forming a medium-sized, compact and spreading clump. It is a perfect ground cover hosta in a shady and cool border.

This Hosta, or Funkia, is a mutation of H. 'Night before Christmas' with white coloration that resists sun exposure better. It is a deciduous but very hardy perennial, with its leafy clump emerging only in spring. It belongs to the asparagus family. The plant forms a clump reaching 30 cm (12in) in height and 50 cm (20in) in width. It is a long-lived plant, bearing deciduous ovate-lanceolate leaves with cordate bases, 16 cm (6in) long and 8 cm (3in) wide, with slightly undulate margins and pointed tips. The lamina is pleated by 7-9 pairs of deep veins. From the heart of its variegated foliage, from July to August, emerge flower stalks 85 to 100 cm (34 to 39in) tall, bearing racemes of bell-shaped flowers, slightly fragrant.

Hostas like moist, well-drained and rich soils, fearing drought and scorching exposures. In hotter and drier regions, a thick mulch should be provided. Hostas, with their generous and decorative foliage, are perfect as ground covers in partially to fully shaded borders, where other plants struggle to grow. They prefer sheltered and cool locations such as woodlands. In general, morning sun exposure allows optimal development of these perennials and also makes them more floriferous. Blue-foliaged varieties prefer shade as the sun tends to make them turn green. Lighter foliage thrives in partial shade, where their colour transforms and lightens with increasing sunlight. Gastropods (slugs and snails) are particularly fond of these fleshy perennials, so contemporary hybridizations aim to create hostas that are increasingly resistant to their attacks. This variety is slug-resistant.

Combine them in masses with other hostas, with ferns, delphiniums, solomon's seal and other low-growing ground cover perennials such as creeping bugles, geraniums, lamiums. All are very effective as slug repellents. The silver-leaved Brunnera macrophylla 'Mr Morse', familiar to woodland areas, will be excellent companions. Also consider Heucheras and their wonderful range of colors, or the delicate elfin flowers (Epimediums). You will enhance the shaded and slightly humid parts of the garden by creating a pleasant haven of freshness for summer. Hostas also thrive in containers that are carefully placed in partial shade and watered regularly. Hostas go wonderfully well with spring bulbs appearing in late spring, at the perfect time to cover faded plants with their generous foliage! Around a pond, plant them with persicarias, carexes and astilbes. The blue foliage harmonizes perfectly with the red and purple foliage of Japanese maples.

Did you know: Most species commonly found in Western gardens have been introduced from Japan. Hostas are edible and are called urui in Japan, where they are commonly consumed.