Hosta 'Sum and Substance'
"Plantain lily"
Orders placed until 29 February 2025
You can expect your order in February/March 2025
Orders placed 1 March - 15 April 2025
You can expect your order in March/April 2025
Orders placed 16 April - 15 May 2025
You can expect your order within 10 business days
UK orders over £50
Free shipping
UK orders under £50
£4.99
Northern Ireland orders under £50
£5.99
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Description
One of the Goliaths of the hosta world, Hosta 'Sum and Substance' goes all out to make its point. It’s leafy, giant and slightly Jurassic appeal is what these fantastic foliage plants are really all about. Not only does this large plantain lily make a stand-out focal point in the garden with its incredible, broad, zesty lemon-lime leaves which fill a fair-sized area with lushness and colour from spring through to autumn each year, but Hosta 'Sum and Substance'will treat you (and the bees) to a lovely summer show of lilac-coloured flowers too.
Part of the fun with plants is watching them grow. Hosta 'Sum and Substance' starts life a modest size, but you will notice each year it returns slightly larger than the year before and with more leaves, the leaves also increase in size as the plant matures. After a few years once mature, this statuesque hosta can grow up to around 75cm tall and each leaf can measure up to 50cm from base to tip. Equally at home in borders, where it makes a truly breath-taking statement, or a larger container, Hosta 'Sum and Substance' will thrive in full or part shade and any free-draining, but reliably moist soil or compost. The easy way to know you’re onto a winner with a plant is if it’s accredited with and RHS Award of Garden Merit, which this one indeed is and is completely worth of!
Key features
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Perfect for pots
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Comes back every year
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Loved by pollinators
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Great for shade
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In peat-free compost
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Low maintenance
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RHS Award (AGM)
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Fully hardy
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Rodent resistant
Specs & details
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Botanical name
Hosta 'Sum and Substance'
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Plant size
1
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Established height
50-75cm
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Established spread
50-75cm
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Plant spacing
5 plants per m2
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Leaf colour
Green, lime, yellow
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Habit
Clump-forming
Upright -
Life cycle
Perennial
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Hardiness
Fully hardy
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Years to establish
1-2 years
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Sunlight
Partial shade
Dappled shade
Full shade -
Position
Sheltered
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Suitable for
Pots
Large containers
Borders
Ground cover
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens -
Soil acidity
Any
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Soil moisture
Damp
Free draining -
Soil type
Loam
Clay
Loam-based compost
Multipurpose compost -
RHS Award (AGM)
Yes
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Growing skill
Easy to grow
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Scented
No
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Pollinator-friendly
No
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Mouse resistant
Yes
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Rabbit resistant
Yes
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Deer resistant
Yes
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Toxicity
No report
Plant calendar
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- Planting
- Flowering
Useful information
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Soak the Hosta 'Sum and Substance' roots in water for 3-6 hours prior to planting
Plant your "Plantain lily" bare roots into temporary pots with a multipurpose compost in spring and grow-on in a sheltered spot outdoors
Choose a pot which comfortably fits the bare roots. Some have a noticeable crown which should be just below the soil surface with any top growth exposed. Some varieties are a length of root which should be planted lengthways and shallowly (1-2cm deep).
Plant out into borders or permanent containers in late spring or early summer once in full growth. Choose a position in sun or shade depending on the variety.
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Orders placed until 29 February 2025
You can expect your order in February/March 2025Orders placed 1 March - 15 April 2025
You can expect your order in March/April 2025Orders placed 16 April - 15 May 2025
You can expect your order within 10 business days
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