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Growing Hosta 'Francee': Site, Soil, Pots and Dividing

Published 2018-06-01 · Updated 2026-10-06

‘Francee’ is a dark green hosta with a clean white margin. It has been one of the most widely planted white-edged hostas for decades: The Hosta Helper, the American Hosta Society’s reference site, quotes The Hostapedia that during the 1980s it replaced ‘Undulata Albomarginata’ as the most commonly used white-margined hosta in landscaping (The Hosta Helper). It is easy to grow if you give it part shade, steady moisture and room to spread.

Quick facts

’Francee’
Registered1986, by M. Klopping & the American Hosta Society (AHS Registry #1915)
OriginA sport of H. ‘Fortunei’ (AHS Registry); introduced by Minnie Klopping of Nebraska in the 1970s (The Hosta Helper)
Leaf9 × 6 in (22.9 × 15.2 cm), 10 vein pairs, dark green with white margins (AHS Registry)
FlowersLavender (AHS Registry); funnel-shaped, from late July into August (The Hosta Helper)
Clump sizeThe registry record gives no plant size. The Hosta Helper lists 21 in high × 50 in wide (53 × 127 cm) (The Hosta Helper); the RHS gives 0.5–1 m for both height and spread, reached in 2–5 years (RHS)
HardinessRHS H7, hardy below −20 °C (RHS)
AwardsRHS Award of Garden Merit; AHS Benedict Merit Award (The Hosta Helper)

‘Francee’ was not a Hosta of the Year as far as the sources above show; we could not find any listing that says it was.

Where to plant it

  • Light: part shade. The RHS recommends part shade with shelter from cold, dry winds, and lists north-, east- and west-facing aspects (RHS). Like most hostas, it does best with morning sun and protection from hot afternoon sun (Missouri Botanical Garden). Too much sun and wind leaves leaves burned or bleached (University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension).
  • Soil: fertile, moist but well-drained (RHS). Avoid poorly drained spots, which can lead to root and crown rot (UNL Extension).
  • pH: slightly acid to neutral. The Hosta Helper gives 6.0–6.5 as the preferred range for hostas (The Hosta Helper), and the RHS lists ‘Francee’ for acid or neutral soil (RHS). The older version of this page recommended liming to pH 6.5–7.3; we found no source for that, so don’t lime unless a soil test shows your soil is clearly acidic.
  • Space: going by the Hosta Helper’s 50-inch width, plant it well away from neighbours. UNL Extension suggests about 36 in between centres for large hostas (UNL Extension).

Planting step by step

  1. Improve the soil. Work 2–3 inches of compost or other organic matter into the bed to a depth of about 10 inches (UNL Extension).
  2. Dig the hole slightly shallower than the root ball and at least 1½ times as wide (UNL Extension).
  3. Set the crown just above soil level. Do not bury it, and do not tamp the soil down (UNL Extension).
  4. Water thoroughly to settle the soil and remove air pockets (UNL Extension).
  5. Mulch lightly — about 1 inch in early summer. Thicker mulch tends to encourage slugs (UNL Extension).

Growing ‘Francee’ in a pot

The Hosta Helper describes ‘Francee’ as superb in a large container (The Hosta Helper). The RHS advice for hostas in pots:

  • Container: 30–45 cm (12–18 in) across, with drainage holes (RHS).
  • Compost: peat-free multipurpose or a loam-based potting compost such as John Innes No. 3 (RHS).
  • Watering: regularly in summer; pots dry out quickly, and a plant that dries out browns along the leaf margins (RHS).
  • Feeding: a general-purpose liquid feed monthly through the growing season (RHS).
  • Pests: watch for vine weevil, which is a particular risk for hostas in containers (RHS).

When the pot is packed with roots, divide the plant (below) and repot one division in fresh compost.

Care through the year

WhenWhat to do
Early spring, before growthRemove any winter mulch and old leaf debris (UNL Extension)
As growth beginsIf the bed needs it, apply a slow-release fertilizer; avoid heavy nitrogen, which gives soft leaves and can weaken the variegation (UNL Extension)
Spring to summerKeep the soil moist; water at soil level rather than over the leaves, and in the morning (UNL Extension). Check for slugs after rain
After floweringCut the flower stalks if you don’t want them; this is cosmetic
After frost has killed the leavesClear the dead foliage; dispose of it rather than composting it if the plant had disease (University of Illinois Extension)

‘Francee’ needs no pruning beyond removing spent foliage and dead leaves (RHS). The original version of this page said the leaves “fall off during winter”; in fact hosta foliage collapses when frost kills it, at about 28 °F (−2 °C) or below (UNL Extension).

When and how to divide

  • When: the RHS gives late summer or early spring for ‘Francee’ (RHS). Iowa State University Extension says spring, as the leaves begin to emerge, is the best time, but hostas can be divided any time from spring to late summer (Iowa State University Extension).
  • Why: to get more plants, or to renew an old clump that has gone bare in the middle (UNL Extension).
  • How: water the day before. Either slice a section off the side of the clump with a clean, sharp spade, leaving the rest in place, or lift the whole clump and cut it apart (UNL Extension). Give each piece 1–3 good buds and replant at the original depth (RHS).
  • After a late-summer division, mulch with several inches of straw or pine needles in late fall so freezing and thawing don’t heave the new plants out of the ground (Iowa State University Extension).

Full step-by-step instructions are in our guide on how to divide and transplant hostas.

Problems to watch for

Similar hostas

‘Francee’ has produced many sports. The Hosta Helper counts about 75 reported sport descendants, among them ‘Patriot’ and ‘Minuteman’ (The Hosta Helper):

Both have wider white margins than ‘Francee’. More white-edged choices are in our white hostas guide.

Sources