What's eating my striptease hosta?

Striptease Hosta, known for its narrow gold stripe, faces the same slug and deer pressure as all hostas. Its medium-sized leaves are especially attractive to slugs in moist, shaded conditions — exactly the environment this cultivar thrives in. Vine weevil and rabbits are secondary threats. Consistent slug control is the number-one defense.

Irregular holes across the leaf surface, particularly on newly emerging leaves in spring and after wet weather Apply iron phosphate pellets each spring; use beer traps; keep the area free of debris where slugs overwinter

Entire clumps grazed to ground level; flower scapes removed before blooming Use egg-based or predator-urine deer repellents; reapply after heavy rain; fence reliably where deer pressure is high

Characteristic scalloped notches on leaf margins from adult beetles; root grub damage causes sudden wilting Apply nematodes to moist soil from late summer through autumn; inspect root balls when lifting and dividing