Red October Hosta foliage

Red October Hosta foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Red October Hosta

Red October Hosta

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Plantain Lily, Funkia

Description:

Versatile medium-green leaves are lance-shaped and slightly rippled with interesting red stems; provides beautiful texture and contrast to other plants; purple spikes of flowers in mid to late summer

Ornamental Features

Red October Hosta features dainty spikes of purple tubular flowers rising above the foliage from mid to late summer. Its attractive textured narrow leaves remain green in color throughout the season. The brick red stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Red October Hosta is a dense herbaceous perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects

Red October Hosta is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover

Planting & Growing

Red October Hosta will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 28 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 20 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.