Sweet Susan is a large (2 feet tall by 4 feet wide) hosta with dark green leaves and fragrant lavender flowers. Sweet Susan can tolerate more sun than other dark-leaved cultivars; be sure to provide constant moisture if sited in a sunnier location.

Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow, and long lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and texture; natural mutations or “sports” are also common, and new introductions abound. Hosta cultivars range in size from several inches to several feet; it may take 3 o 8 years for hostas to reach their full size. They all prefer moist, loamy soil enriched with organic matter. Some leaf damage by slugs is to be expected, and deer find hosta delicious.