Hosta Flowers Blooming - July 2023

Nobody grows hostas for their flowers.  Is that a 'hot take'?  I don't think so.  Foliage gardeners (I'm a self-proclaimed foliage gardener) grow hostas because of what they do:  shade-garden workhorses that add some texture and fill in spaces.

But...they also flower.  With these tall, odd, scapes of flowers.  Are they scapes? I think so. 

I remember my mom's garden, filled with hostas.  And popping the purple flowers that emerged each Summer.  I don't think I've ever tracked the flower emergence in my own garden, so I figured I'd start a little bit right now.

Why now?  

Because I was walking around the garden one morning recently and was struck by one set of flowers in back.  On these hostas:

The flowers seem VERY dark purple (for hostas).  Thanks to the Hosta Library, it appears that these are Venticosa hostas.   The Delaware Hosta Association has this description:

The Dark Green One with Purple Flowers: H. ventricosa

This one also has shiny heart-shaped leaves that almost glitter. The flowers are a deep purple, and will make lots of seed pods. This hosta is easily spread by seed, so is the most likely choice if you find a hosta growing in your woods. Can also grow to 30" across or more.

Seems about right, doesn't it?

I don't know where those hostas came from - pretty sure I inherited them.  Same with this other pair of hostas planted by the Hornbeams (below).  These are a different variety - the foliage is different AND the flowers are more pale.  

I'm seeing hosta blooms starting in mid-July and they appear to be running into August (at least) this year (2023).