I agree with you..could live without the flowers..have wondered if it harms the plant to remove..will be interested to see what the experts say..

Flowers are followed by setting seeds which, if you enjoy wild seedlings, you would leave them on. Cutting off the flowers would save the energy a hosta uses to produce the flowers and then the seeds. Tis energy would go into growing the hosta and no harm would be done to the plant.

Jon

Thanks so much, Jon. Most of my hostas are in pots right now as we are preparing to move so seedlings aren't something I need. I will start the trimming today!

If you are concerned about the potential spread of HVX, you will want to dip your scissors in disinfectant after each plant.

they are yours.. do whatever you want with them ...

it would never cross my mind.. to ask permission from others ...

they say the energy is spent.. the minute the stalk starts elongating ... so you arent losing or saving any energy if you take them off

ken

I wasn't really asking permission, just wanted to be sure I wouldn't cause harm.

Lots of people feel that way about the flowers. Some just don't like them taking away from the looks of the leaves. Others don't want to have to clean up all the seedlings. You're not alone.

bk

I'm with you Annette. Mine come off as soon as I see them, except for Blue Mouse Ears, because those are short and tight and cute!

-Babka

These seedlings look nice, IMHO (taken just now). They all just accumulated in the same place. Maybe because it is within the area I water.

I only tried it last year. I don't know if it is working well or not, but unless I was into hybridizing and wanted to keep track of lineage, this works for me. I understand you don't want to be bothered now, but when you get settled it is an option.

Jon

We have 12 acres and about 10 hives of our own. We plant the back 3-4 acres in clover and other plants for the bees. Removing the flower stalks from a couple dozen hosta isn't going to upset our bees.

To each his/her own. As covered by others you will not harm the plant(s) by cutting the scapes, but flowers looking ratty after a downpour applies not only to hostas but essentially all perennials when you think about it. I grow my perennials for their inflorescences and grow a number of hostas specifically for their flowers. I love the rich purple colour of clausa var normalis and 'Sea Octopus', the purple spider flowers of 'Ray of Hope', the fragrant hybrids like 'Guacamole', 'Fragrant Bouquet' and many others. But that's just my perspective....

Pieter

I cut them off.

I used to always cut the flowers off. With one hosta here and one hosta there, the flowers are pretty ho-hum. But now my garden has hundreds of hostas arranged so that their blooms appear in an organized arrangement. It's called "wave" planting. I've got "waves" of similar hostas planted in my garden. They snake their way everywhichaway on my hosta hill. I've kept notes on which ones bloom when, and adjusted the arrangement so when the first bunch bloom at the same time, the garden is visually balanced.

So my point is that if you have enough hostas, and you've got them arranged so that there are clumps or waves of the same hosta variety all blooming together, those blooms can be magnificent because there are so many of them right up next to each other. They hover above the plants and gently sway in the wind together. Hummingbirds visit, as do bees and other pollinators. Loads of lavender blossoms (or white) all 36" up from the ground make quite a showing.

In my garden I have two big hosta bloom fests. One happens in late June-early July, and the other happens in early August. I have to rush to cut off all the spent scapes after the first bunch so the second bunch look good, but usually I get the job done. A few lonely hosta varieties bloom in between these two big events.

Divide your hostas as they mature, plant them in snakey waves or clumps, and when they bloom in mass you won't feel like cutting the blooms off any more.

Hummingbirds flying over my hostas, I can only dream of it in Germany...the biggest thing visiting is the occasional bumblebee...

Thank you for the vivid picture you put in my mind. I love the flowers, especially when they dive out of the pond of the leaves of my blue ones...

I have always thought people who do not have time for hosta flowers--have sunny spots where more showy flowers can feed their needs for flowers..I am not that fortunate so will take ANY FLOWER I can get. Green is a pretty color--but there are others and I enjoy some variety!! LOL It really sounds like you are saying after the flowers fade can I remove the stalk before it goes to seed. I did for years hoping the seed energy would go back into the plant. Ken just said that doesn't happen..which is counter to why we dead head other flowering plants so I am surprised to say the least.