hosta

noun

hos·ta ˈhō-stə

ˈhä-

: any of a genus (Hosta) of Asian perennial herbaceous plants of the lily family with densely growing basal leaves and tall racemes of white or violet flowers

called also funkia, plantain lily

Did you know?

There are about 40 species of hostas or plantain lilies, which are hardy perennials in the lily family, native to eastern Asia. They prefer light shade, but will grow under a variety of conditions. They are valued for their conspicuous foliage, which may be light to dark green, yellow, blue, or variegated. The ribbed leaves grow in a cluster at the base, and stalks bearing clusters of tubular white or bluish-purple flowers emerge from the leaves.

Examples of hosta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web From hydrangeas to hostas, roses to radicchio, setting your plants up for success starts with finding the appropriate garden fellows. —

Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 24 July 2024 The yard features an above-ground pool, a pond filled with koi and goldfish, and dozens of colorful plants and flowers, including everything from daylilies and hostas to poppies and different kinds of bamboo. —

Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 18 July 2024 While grown mainly for their attractive foliage, hostas do bloom once a year. —

Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2024 From the 3-foot-long leaves of the big leaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) and the dinner-plate-sized leaves of ‘Empress Wu’ hosta, to the delicate sprays of ornamental grasses and ferns, texture contrasts can keep the summer garden from hitting the design doldrums. —

Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 31 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for hosta

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hosta.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, genus name, after Nicolaus Thomas Host †1834 Austrian physician and botanist

Note: The genus was named in honor of Host by the Austrian botanist Leopold Trattinnick (1764-1849) in Archiv der Gewächskunde, Band 1 (1812), p. 55.

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of hosta was in 1930

See more words from the same year