Double August Lily
Hosta plantaginea Aphrodite
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Hosta plantaginea Aphrodite Finally, a hosta that does all the shady ground-cover things a hosta is supposed to do and has real flowers -- monster blossoms at that, with in-your-face fragrance. Yum. Each flower of the Aphrodite hosta is almost 4 inches long, so overpoweringly double-petaled that they rarely fully open. And the color: eye-popping white white white as to nearly light up the night. These perfumed trumpets are held aloft at about 2-1/2 feet, fairly tall for a hosta. Flowers unfurl in late summer or early autumn, often an underwhelming time of year in the garden. More attributes: Aphrodite can take a good deal of sun. You can even plant it out in full sun if you live north of the Mason-Dixon line. And the foliage? Well, it's green.

Light: Partial shade. Hardiness: To 40 degrees below zero. Growth habit: 30 inches tall, 24 inches wide. Bloom time: Late summer.