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Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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That's a Hosta, shade loving perennial that looks dead over winter but then pops up as you described in spring. They will get tall shoots with purple flowers in summer, and are actually pretty expensive. If you do it before they are 3-6" tall, you can dig them up and divide, then replant to create more of them. The squirrels and deer like to eat them, as do slugs.
Very easy....That is a hosta....Once it opens it will stay low. They like mostly shade and late in summer they grow a white or purple flower on the end of a long stem about 24-36 inches tall. It kind of resembles a small lily flower. Hostas are perennials and come up every year. Be careful not to step on them when they first come out of the ground. Snails LOVE them and many times the beautiful leaves get holes in them from snail chewing at night. You can put beer in a low rimmed container (like a lid) that the snails will crawl in at night and drown....
It looks too small to split right now....I wouldn't pot it, just leave it where it is and it will come back every year. Use your pots to plant annuals that flower all summer long until frost.....Hostas can even grow in almost full shade under trees. If its too sunny the leaf color will fade over summer....
Ps....One of the above posters said a lot of bugs eat them including Japanese "PEOPLE"....I believe they meant Japanese BEETLES. You will have more damage from the slugs than beetles. Just do the "beer trick{" I suggested and you will be fine! Welcome to the wonderful world of gardening!!!
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