Hosta Ki Ren Jyaku

Hosta Ki Ren Jyaku is a collectible hosta with its round, golden and lime green foliage, which bears sturdy stems adorned with semi-double bell-shaped flowers of lavender tinged with pink. This plant forms a loose clump of generous and upright, veined and slightly bumpy leaves, very bright, ranging from yellow to lime green. In summer, they produce straight floral stems, bearing flowers with numerous pink petals. This variety, of medium size, creates a great effect as a border plant, in a bed or in a pot, in semi-shade.

Hosta Ki Ren Jyaku is a completely hardy perennial plant belonging to the asparagus family. This variety was obtained by Shinya Fukatsu in Japan, a painter who has a certain taste for hostas. From spring, it forms a well-balanced clump of medium size. The mature plant, reaching 60 cm (24in) in height when in flower and 50 to 60 cm (20 to 24in) in width, takes 5 years to reach adulthood. Its leaves are rounded and upright, veined and slightly bumpy. Their colour ranges from golden yellow to yellowish green. Flowering takes place in July and August, in the form of semi-double bell-shaped flowers in pinkish lavender. The colour combination, semi-double flowers and their pinkish hue give this variety all its charm. This perennial spreads by stolons, similar to strawberries. It is a long-lasting plant that withstands cold weather well.

Hostas are sensitive to drought and scorching exposure. Afternoon sun should be avoided as it can burn the leaves. With their generous and decorative foliage, they are perfect as groundcover or in semi-shady, even shady, flower beds where other plants struggle to grow. Indeed, hostas like sheltered locations that remain damp, such as under trees. In general, morning sun exposure allows optimal development of these perennials and also makes them more floriferous. At the edge of woodland, sheltered from the wind, where the soil is deep and fertile, this Hosta Ki Ren Jyaku pairs well with ferns, meadow rues and Claytonia sibirica whose flowering echoes its own. It can also be beautifully paired with acteas with purple foliage, rosy or purple Heucheras. Plant it in a pot to showcase its rarity.

Most species commonly found in our gardens have been introduced from Japan. Hostas are edible and are called 'urui' in Japan, where they are commonly consumed.