Japanese name: オトメギボウシ（乙女擬宝珠） Scientific name:Hosta venusta
[Overview]
A perennial about 15–30 cm tall.
The leaves form a rosette and are oblong-lanceolate with a heart-shaped base; they are not glossy, and there are small projections on the veins of the underside.
The flower stalk is erect and has vertical ridges.
The flowers are borne in a raceme, with a bract at the base.
The bract is boat-shaped.
The corolla is funnel-shaped with 6 pale purple tepals, and the inside of the tepals has dark purple veins.
Each flower opens in the morning and wilts in the evening, lasting only one day.
The fruit is a capsule.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
It prefers bright shade and soil that is well drained, retains water well, and is moderately moist.
Strong direct sun in summer can cause leaf scorch, so move potted plants to airy shade in summer, and plant those in the ground under deciduous trees or similar.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long spell of sunny weather and the soil dries out.
In spring and autumn, place organic fertilizer on the soil.
Pests and diseases include southern blight, viral disease, aphids and slugs.
