hosta

noun

hos·​ta ˈhō-stə How to pronounce hosta (audio)
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 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 Many people may disagree with me because a big bed full of hostas can also be a salad bar for deer. Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 27 Apr. 2024 Plants are organized by category and include varieties of sun to shade, groundcovers, hostas, mums, sedums, and peonies. Elaine Rewolinski, Journal Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2024 For shade containers, hostas and Japanese forest grasses are great choices. Suzanne S. Brown, The Denver Post, 14 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

Dictionary Entries Near hosta

Cite this Entry

“Hosta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hosta. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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