hosta with Lamium?

13 years ago

Hi, I have Lamium growing in my hosta bed under pines courtesy of my neighbors plants. I like the look but am concerned as to whether it will be too invasive and choke out the hostas. Anybody here grow the two together? I have mostly larger variety hostas with some smaller ones around the front edges. Thanks for any advice.

Featured Answer

w3csx

13 years ago

I think it can be a great combo. Check out this planter. H. Liberty, Heucherella 'Yellowstone Falls' and Lamium (can't remember, it is either White Nancy, or Purple Dragon).

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Comments (12)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
it wont choke out hosta ...

and they are rather easy to pull out... so just discourage them from too close to the crown ... by selective removal ...

large hosta roots go down 12 inches.. if lamium.. one inch.. i would be surprised... no effect IMHO ...

ken
don_in_colorado
13 years ago
I just started pairing it with Hosta this year, but have grown Lamium for a few years. Good grower, not invasive, very easy to control. Hosta can easily handle the pairing. And it looks great.

Regards,
Don B.
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esox48
13 years ago
I use lamium as a living mulch for hostas all over the yard because it looks great and I hate mulch. Once you get quite a bit of it, you can dig up pieces and spread it around.

I've got several kinds of lamium, but my favorite by far is Purple Dragon. Good grower, large purple flowers.
ogrefcf
13 years ago
Watch out for, Lamiastrum galeobdolon "yellow Archangel". It spreads like crazy and gets everywhere. I do have several kinds with my Hostas and enjoy them. One of my favorites is Herman's Pride, it is very well behaved and stays in a nice mound.
paul_in_mn
13 years ago
One of my favorites is Anne Greenway (pic below), but unfortunately the green takes over the yellow in a few years in my garden. There are a couple of yellow lamium (Aureum and Lemon Frost) that go great with the blue and green hostas

Paul
Pat z6 MI
13 years ago
Hosta and lamium -- a match made in heaven.
mosswitch
13 years ago
This is lamium "Ghost". I also have Nancy, which has white floers, and Pink Pewter. All pretty with hostas tho I wouldn't plant it with smalls or minis.

Sandy
mosswitch
13 years ago
This is lamiastrum Yellow Archangel. Pretty but invasive and annoying. A good ground cover but not a good companion to perennials. Resist any attempts to give you starts of it. I always cut it back to the ground after it finishes blooming but have not done this patch yet.

Sandy
Gesila
13 years ago
There's two kinds of lamium. I put the viny kind in the back gardens and am still using round up to get rid of it. The kind in this picture is contained by rocks and I don't have any trouble with it. I think it's called Purple Dragon.

Gesila
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
13 years ago
I have both Lamium 'Hermann's Pride' and Sweet Woodruff in one of my hosta beds and the hosta seem unaffected.

tj
pkton
Original Author
13 years ago
thank you all for the replies! my "freebies" are the silver or dark lamiums so I don't think I have to worry that they are too invasive. I am glad they will work since they are free, pretty, and popping up in all the right places! yeah!