Other Names:  Funkia, Plantain Lily

Description:

Fast growing and easy to maintain, this variety features large mounds of rigid, dark green heart shaped foliage; white flowers with touches of purple rise above mounds on tall arching scapes in mid summer; perfect for shaded beds and borders

Ornamental Features

Blue Plantain Lily features dainty spikes of white bell-shaped flowers with purple overtones and purple veins rising above the foliage in mid summer. Its large textured heart-shaped leaves remain dark green in colour throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Plantain Lily is a dense herbaceous perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other garden plants with finer foliage.

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

Blue Plantain Lily is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover

Planting & Growing

Blue Plantain Lily will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 30 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 species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.