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Sow indoors · Direct sow · Transplant outdoors
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Plant · P-004
Elephant Ear
Hosta sieboldiana
A large, clump-forming shade perennial with thick, deeply puckered, blue-green leaves that can reach over a foot long and half again as wide. Pale lavender to near-white, bell-shaped flowers rise on tall stalks above the foliage in early summer, though the leaves are the main appeal. The clump thickens and widens slowly from the crown rather than spreading by running roots or self-sown seedlings, and divides easily in spring or autumn to start new plants. Needs evenly moist, humus-rich, well-drained ground in light to deep shade with tolerance for some morning sun, and the broad leaves scorch where summers turn intensely hot and sunny.
Record at a glance
Growing profile
- Sun
- Partial Sun · Shade
- USDA zone
- USDA 3–8
- Soil
- Sand · Loam · Clay
- Moisture
- Moist · Moderate · Well-Drained
Vertical layer
Herbaceous- Soil pH
- 6–7
- Plant type
- Perennial
- Mature height
- 18–24 in
- Mature spread
- 4–5 ft
- Plant spacing
- 24 in
- Root type
- Rhizome
- Spread pattern
- None
Keep exploring
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The deeper layer
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- Primary
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