The History of Hostas

Hostas have been grown in gardens in East Asia for centuries. The plants are mentioned in Chinese documents as far back as the Han Dynasty and appear in scripts preceding the Nara period in Japan. They were introduced to the Western world by Philipp von Siebold around 1830. Hostas were first cultivated in Europe and became so popular that they quickly made their way to North America. Hostas were planted in gardens, parks, and cemeteries upon their introduction to the United States, but didn’t achieve mainstream popularity right away. Public interest increased in the 1930s, however, when enthusiasts realized that several varieties of hostas had developed eye-catching variegated leaves. Today, hostas are some of the most popular shade perennials in the United States and remain popular in their native East Asia and many parts of Europe, too.