Large-leaved Hosta for spring-forcing shoots

Adaptation Projects
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One of my favorite perennial vegetables is Hosta. In this thread I want to document my breeding attempts.

I’ve grown hosta as a spring vegetable for around 8 years. My favorite way of eating it is blanching the shoots (etiolation) like you would rhubarb or asparagus.

I’ve grown a wide range of named clones in different sizes, colors. Hosta is a group with loads of breeding work, but as far as I know only for ornamental purposes. Some selection criteria are connected to growth habit and I want to continue selecting for fast growers and effective ground-cover (as opposed to the more open growth habits).

I’ve tried growing smaller-leaved hosta as some of them are very fast growing and effective ground covers. But I’ve found the crop is less interesting. Large, fat hosta shoots are a much better crop to me.

My full list of selection criteria:

  • Thick shoots (large leaves)
  • Vigorous, fast growing
  • Dense growth habit, effective ground cover
  • Less saponin content

I don’t care about color or shape of leaves. I will mostly use hosta as shoots and often expose them for etiolation, so color will disappear. My experience is that darker leaved types are easier to grow in shade and part-shade. I’m not so interested in hostas with low clorophyl that can withstand full sun. Part of the attraction of hosta for me is that they can be grown where full sun plants can’t.

Comparison of two clumps of the same clone with one of them having grown without light (etiolation).

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A weeks later. This is the perfect stage for harvesting

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One limitation for my breeding project is hosta seed are not that easy to come by! The market is almost entirely for cloned plants. In Europe, I’ve found a few seed on Jelitto. If anyone knows other sources for hosta seed, please write below!

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I like to eat the flower buds. The aroma is slightly pea- or aspargus-like for me. And I like their size and consistency.

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Wow! Thanks, Malte, for posting this. especially the photos! This gives me an idea of how to work with the hostas. I’ve been increasing my hosta population with the intent of using them as food but haven’t tried them yet :sweat_smile:

I’ve also been saving seeds and attempting to germinate.

So assuming you cut them down to the ground at this point, are they able to catch up and produce flowers and seeds in the same year?

Please post more pictures! I’d especially love to see how you cook them.

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Robert Beard

I would look to Japan. There are some people that breed hosts there for
food. They make boxes of loose soil and as the shoot comes up the mound on
more soil. This creates very long edible shoots.

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@GreenBeard , I like your idea. I’ve seen images of forced hosta in Japan and have found the inspiration to eat them like this from there. I think the method of etiolation could be extended to many other perennial spring shoots. Just like we etiolate belgian endives, cardoon, rhubarb, asparagus, frisée and so on. Lots of leafy vegetable gain a tender consistency from excluding light.

@Naomiupland , I’ve learnt from ornamental hosta growers that established clumps can tolerate total cuttings to the ground annually. Some growers even mow their hosta plantnings (!) to get a second flush of new shoots. The only difference between them and I seems to be that I eat the shoots instead of mowing them down.

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