Hosta 'City Lights'

A large specimen selection, this generous, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial forms a sturdy, dense mound that, given the room, grows to be fairly enormous, but generally reaches around 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide. The broad, 12-inch-long, 9-inch-wide ovate leaves are nicely rounded, slightly cupped, and deeply corrugated. They emerge chartreuse and turn bright yellow. In midsummer, lily-like white blooms hover above the foliage on tall flower scapes and attract hummingbirds.

Hosta, also called plantain lily for their plantain-like leaves and lily-like flowers, are exceedingly popular plants for shade gardens or partial to dappled shade areas of mixed beds, borders, or foundation plantings. A good background plant, they are most impressive when planted in groups, but 'City Lights' is so large, one may be all it takes.