Which plant is described as an Asian perennial herbaceous plant with densely growing basal leaves and tall racemes of white or violet flowers?

Which plant is described as an Asian perennial herbaceous plant with densely growing basal leaves and tall racemes of white or violet flowers?

• A. Purple cornflowers
• B. Aphid
• C. Hosta
• D. Coreopsis

Answer: (C)

Hosta matches this description because it is an Asian perennial herbaceous plant that forms dense rosettes of broad, lush leaves at the crown. In summer it sends up tall flowering stalks bearing racemes of small flowers that are typically white to pale violet. This combination of ground-hugging basal leaves and tall spikes of pale flowers is a hallmark of hostas, which are prized in shade gardens for their foliage and subtle bloom. Purple cornflowers are annuals with blue, daisy-like blooms and do not have the dense basal leaf clumps or tall racemes described here. An aphid is an insect, not a plant. Coreopsis can be perennials or annuals with bright blooms, but their flowers are usually yellow and arranged differently, not as tall white or violet racemes.

Hosta matches this description because it is an Asian perennial herbaceous plant that forms dense rosettes of broad, lush leaves at the crown. In summer it sends up tall flowering stalks bearing racemes of small flowers that are typically white to pale violet. This combination of ground-hugging basal leaves and tall spikes of pale flowers is a hallmark of hostas, which are prized in shade gardens for their foliage and subtle bloom. Purple cornflowers are annuals with blue, daisy-like blooms and do not have the dense basal leaf clumps or tall racemes described here. An aphid is an insect, not a plant. Coreopsis can be perennials or annuals with bright blooms, but their flowers are usually yellow and arranged differently, not as tall white or violet racemes.