Hosta sieboldiana 'Frances Williams' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Plantain Lily

Hosta sieboldiana 'Frances Williams'

£7.99
Very hardyShade-tolerantLoved by pollinators
Pot size
11cm / 0.75L £7.99

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Description

Hosta sieboldiana 'Frances Williams' is one of the great classic plantain lilies, a giant, variegated hosta that has been a shade-garden favourite for generations. Its huge, rounded, heavily puckered blue-green leaves are framed by a wide chartreuse-yellow margin that softens to creamy tones as summer wears on, creating a bold, textural mound with real presence. Few foliage plants make such a statement in a cool, shady spot.

It is fully hardy, rated RHS H7, and comes through the coldest British winters unaided. As a deciduous, herbaceous perennial it dies back to a dormant crown each autumn and returns bigger and better every spring, the natural cycle we describe in our hardy exotics guide. The thick, puckered leaves also give it good resistance to slugs and snails, a genuine advantage in a group those pests adore.

Water well through the first two summers to settle this large clump, then mulch generously each spring. Frances Williams is superb as a specimen among plants for shade, as a commanding centrepiece in exotic border plants, or in a very large container from our pots and containers range. Near-white early-summer flowers draw in bees, a useful bonus among plants for pollinators. As with all hostas, it is toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten.

Pair it with the plain blue mounds of Hosta 'Big Daddy' for a giant blue duo, or browse the full hardy exotics range. Every plant is nursery-grown, hand-selected for a strong crown and healthy roots, and carefully packed to arrive in superb condition.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Plantain Lily

Give me sun with a little shade and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Plantain Lily

Hosta sieboldiana 'Frances Williams' needs partial shade or full shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H7 · Hardy Exotic · below −20°C

fully hardy across the UK (RHS H7), with no winter protection needed.

Position

Partial shadeFull shadeNorth-facingEast-facingWest-facingSheltered

partial to full shade, with a little gentle morning sun to sharpen the margin; shelter from hot afternoon sun.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

rich, humus-laden and reliably moist but well-drained; dig in leaf mould or compost before planting.

Watering

Keep the soil evenly moist through the first two summers while this large clump establishes, watering well in dry weather, and mulch generously each spring. Slugs and snails are the main pest, though the thick, heavily puckered leaves of this variety are among the more resistant. Read moreShow less

Keep the soil evenly moist through the first two summers while this large clump establishes, watering well in dry weather, and mulch generously each spring. Slugs and snails are the main pest, though the thick, heavily puckered leaves of this variety are among the more resistant.

Mature size

Height60-70 cm
Spread140-160 cm

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Jun-Jul

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

Remove faded flower stems, then cut the foliage right back after it collapses in autumn or tidy in late winter; lift and divide congested clumps in early spring.

Toxicity

Toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten. Like all hostas, the leaves, roots and flowers contain saponins that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and general upset if chewed or swallowed. Site away from pets that like to graze, and seek veterinary advice if a pet eats any part of the plant.

Native range

Japan (garden selection)

Family

Asparagaceae

Also known as

Hosta sieboldiana 'Frances Williams'

Genus

Hosta →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hosta 'Frances Williams' hardy in the UK?

Yes. This classic sieboldiana hosta is rated RHS H7, fully hardy throughout Britain and untroubled by the hardest winters. Being deciduous it dies back to a dormant crown in autumn and returns each spring, a long-lived, dependable choice among plants for shade.

What does Hosta 'Frances Williams' look like?

It is a magnificent giant. Huge, rounded, heavily puckered blue-green leaves are framed by a wide chartreuse-yellow margin that mellows to creamy tones through the season, building a bold, textured mound that anchors any exotic border. It is one of the oldest and best-loved variegated hostas in cultivation.

Where is the best place to plant Frances Williams?

Partial to full shade is ideal, with perhaps a little gentle morning sun to sharpen the contrast between the blue centre and yellow edge. Avoid hot afternoon sun, which scorches the leaves. Give this giant plenty of room in a border, or grow it in a very large container from our pots and containers range.

How do I keep slugs and snails off my hosta?

Slugs and snails are the main hosta pest, but the thick, heavily puckered leaves of Frances Williams are among the more resistant. Reduce damage further by clearing hiding places, watering in the morning rather than at dusk, and using wildlife-friendly controls such as grit, wool pellets or nematodes as the shoots emerge in spring.

Is Hosta 'Frances Williams' poisonous to pets?

Yes. Like all hostas it contains saponins and is toxic to cats, dogs and horses if the leaves, roots or flowers are eaten, typically causing vomiting, diarrhoea and general upset. Site it away from pets that graze, and speak to your vet if a pet eats any part of the plant.

How big does Frances Williams get and does it flower?

It is a giant, reaching about 60 to 70cm tall and a broad 140 to 160cm across in time, so allow it plenty of space. In early summer near-white, pale-lilac tinted flowers rise on tall scapes and are visited by bees, adding it to the useful plants for pollinators, though the spectacular foliage is the main event.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
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Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

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Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

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Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Hosta sieboldiana 'Frances Williams'
£7.99