# Hostas "Plantain Lilies" or "Funkia"...



## Terry Allan Hall (Jul 10, 2010)

Are these edible to tortoises or more a cover plant for tortoises to hide beneath in an outdoor enclosure?


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## egyptiandan (Jul 10, 2010)

Hostas are very edible  Have fun keeping them in the enclosure for all of 2 minutes 

Danny


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## Terry Allan Hall (Jul 10, 2010)

egyptiandan said:


> Hostas are very edible  Have fun keeping them in the enclosure for all of 2 minutes
> 
> Danny



Gotcha!...Guess I'll raise 'em in the "non-tortoise" part of the property, then!


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## Kristina (Jul 10, 2010)

Yup, my Redfoots mowed my biggest one in about two seconds flat.

The "plantain" bit should be your clue, plantains are GREAT weeds to feed tortoises. The Vitamin A content is out of this world.


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## Jacqui (Jul 10, 2010)

I must have the most abnormal tortoises (hmm think maybe they take after their caretaker? ). I have hostas planted in with all the redfoots, leopards, greeks, box turtles, Asian box turtles, hingebacks, and so on. None of them eat theirs.  I know better then to even think of having them in with the Russians and sulcatas, those pigs eat everything within reach.


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## Tom (Jul 10, 2010)

Jacqui said:


> I must have the most abnormal tortoises (hmm think maybe they take after their caretaker? ). I have hostas planted in with all the redfoots, leopards, greeks, box turtles, Asian box turtles, hingebacks, and so on. None of them eat theirs.  I know better then to even think of having them in with the Russians and sulcatas, those pigs eat everything within reach.



Since I keep hearing about hostas, I've been looking them up. There are tons of different types. Maybe the types that you have are less palatable. After reading their requirements, I don't think they'd survive for very long out here where I am.

You should have seen my elation when reading the tag on the grape vines and seeing "Plant them in the hottest part of your yard, in full sun, for as much of the day as possible. Need hot summers." Imagine a grown man jumping for joy with his little girl in the garden section of OSH. I've got six of them now and so far, so good.

Does anyone know of a super hardy hosta variety that tolerates hot and dry very well?


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## Terry Allan Hall (Jul 10, 2010)

kyryah said:


> Yup, my Redfoots mowed my biggest one in about two seconds flat.
> 
> The "plantain" bit should be your clue, plantains are GREAT weeds to feed tortoises. The Vitamin A content is out of this world.



For most of the world, Old and New, our 1st clue re: plantains are these tasty things:




The weed that is called "plantain", by some, doesn't even come up on Google until page 37.


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## goReptiles (Jul 10, 2010)

I have 5 different hostas species I. My enclosure. My Russians only go after one species, which of course is the smallest one. I'm having trouble with some of them dying. Not sure what's wrong with them but some are newly planted. Some from last year are doing great and others of same species are thin. Im thinking its a matter of sun and how suits diferent parts of the enclosure.


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## terryo (Jul 10, 2010)

I have hosta's in both boxie and Pio's enclosure. The only thing they do is sit under them. Pio hardly ever eats anything in his enclosure, only the strawberries when they fall and the figs. I have to pick those or he would eat every one that falls


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## Jacqui (Jul 10, 2010)

Tom said:


> Since I keep hearing about hostas, I've been looking them up. There are tons of different types. Maybe the types that you have are less palatable. After reading their requirements, I don't think they'd survive for very long out here where I am.
> 
> You should have seen my elation when reading the tag on the grape vines and seeing "Plant them in the hottest part of your yard, in full sun, for as much of the day as possible. Need hot summers." Imagine a grown man jumping for joy with his little girl in the garden section of OSH. I've got six of them now and so far, so good.
> 
> Does anyone know of a super hardy hosta variety that tolerates hot and dry very well?


I doubt it's due to the variety because I have easily a dozen types. Just about every enclosure has atleast five varieties.

I can see you getting excited over the grapes.  They too have become standard in all my enclosures and I am amazed at how large some of those leaves are on them, not to mention how fast they grow. I like trying more then one variety of grapes in each of the enclosures too. When I first grew them, none of my tortoises would eat them either. At the time I wondered if grape variety made a difference. Finally I have lots of tortoises relishing them and it seems all the varieties equally.



terryo said:


> I have hosta's in both boxie and Pio's enclosure. The only thing they do is sit under them. Pio hardly ever eats anything in his enclosure, only the strawberries when they fall and the figs. I have to pick those or he would eat every one that falls


So figs grow in NY? Hmm then maybe I could find one that will grow here. Figs are one fruit recommended for Hingebacks that I have not yet gotten to try on them. Then again, I don't think I have even really saw one in person yet myself.


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## Kristina (Jul 10, 2010)

Sorry to get a little off topic, but check out "Chicago Hardy" and "Ventura" Jacqui!


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