Plant of the Month July - Plantain Lily 'Sum and Substance'

The large-leaved plantain lily ‘Sum and Substance’ is an impressive plant that demands our full attention in July. It flowers very generously and produces a beautiful fresh green carpet of leaves, especially when several examples stand close together, growing bushy and erect, with its shoots growing close together. The plant grows to a good one metre high and 80 centimetres wide.

 

Large leaves and beautiful rich blossoms

 

The leaves of the plantain lily ‘Sum and Substance’, which grow up to 40 centimetres in size, are deciduous, heart-shaped, pointed at the end and with entire margins. The visible leaf veins glow in a fresh yellow-green.

The bushy summer plant blossoms richly, from August to September, in a radiant light violet colour. The hosta flowers in unpretentious bunches on upright stems—its flowers are funnel-shaped and are often bound into bouquets.

 

A semi-shady to shady location

 

Since it’s one of the plants with shallow roots, it needs fresh, porous soil that is rich in humus and nutrients. The plant likes to grow in semi-shady to shady locations —which makes it a popular garden plant, as many other plants need a lot more sun.

The plantain lily is best planted at a density of one to two plants per square metre. It is suitable for beds, woodland borders and rock gardens, but is also a real beauty in a planting tub.

 

Robust and easy to clean

 

As far as care is concerned, the lily plantain ‘Sum and Substance’ is a godsend: it’s robust and undemanding. As with all plants, however, don’t forget to remove dead leaves and flowers.