Hosta 'Royal Standard'

Hosta 'Royal Standard': Sweet White Trumpets for Summer Evenings

Glossy bright green leaves and white, fragrant trumpet flowers. 'Royal Standard' handles more sun than most hostas, which makes it THE ONE THAT CAN ACTUALLY GO TO THE BEACH.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Hosta 'Royal Standard'
• Common Name: Plantain Lily, Hosta
• Height: 50–65 cm (20–26 in) foliage, with flower stems to about 90 cm (3 ft)
• Spread: 120–160 cm (4–5 ft)
• Flowers: White, trumpet-shaped and fragrant
• Bloom Time: Late summer (August to September)
• Foliage: Glossy, wavy, bright green leaves that turn chartreuse in more sun
• Features: Fragrant flowers, more sun tolerant

Where to Plant: Plant it near a patio, deck, path or open window, where you'll catch the scent on late-summer evenings. It also makes a fast, full groundcover under high-branched trees or along a foundation, and hostas are generally reported to tolerate black walnut, so it's worth trying in those tricky spots.

Companion Plants: Dryopteris filix-mas grows up to 120 cm behind this hosta, and its feathery fronds contrast well with the hosta's broad, glossy leaves. Tiarella 'Pink Skyrocket' stays low at the front and sends up pink spikes in May and June. Phlox divaricata adds lavender flowers in April and May, months before the hosta's white flowers in August and September. Each one enjoys the same shade to part sun, so the bed has flowers from spring to late summer.

Plant Care: Plant in part sun to full shade, in moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. It handles morning sun or bright filtered light better than most hostas, though leaves can scorch in hot afternoon sun if the soil dries out. Water deeply through its first summer and during droughts. Deer and rabbits will eat hostas, so use a repellent or fencing if they visit. Watch for slugs in damp springs. Cut off the flower stems after bloom and remove the foliage after a hard frost. Divide in spring as the shoots appear; it's vigorous and divides easily.

History: 'Royal Standard' came from Wayside Gardens in Ohio, the nursery founded by John J. Grullemans, as a cross of the fragrant August lily, Hosta plantaginea, with Hosta 'Sieboldiana'. In 1963 it received the first U.S. plant patent for a hosta cultivar, and it was formally registered with the American Hosta Society in 1986.

Final Thoughts: Plant it near a window and let the perfume drift right in. The hummingbirds will find it. TRUMPETS, PLEASE.