This cultivar was originated by Florence Shaw of Massachusetts and registered by Paul Aden of New York in 1974 as an open-pollinated seedling of H. 'Tokudama' (possibly a cross with H. nakaiana according to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009)). It forms a dense, medium size (15 inches high by 38 inches wide) mound of heart shaped leaves with slight corrugation and is fast growing with purple lavender flowers in July followed by viable seeds. The foliage starts the season blue-green but fades to dark green by late summer.

I am not exactly sure why, but this cultivar was re-registered in 2010 with Paul Aden as the originator and registrant.

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "This Paul Aden cultivar can be thought of as the archetype of the "dense, medium-size mound of heart-shaped, blue-green foliage" class of hostas."

The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by Diana Grenfell (2009) states: "A vigorous, rapid increaser. A wonderful breeding plant and the parent of several miniature hostas introducing a blue cast to their leaves...Magnificent display of flowers atop the symmetrical mound. Good autumn color."

In an article about hybridizing by Tony Avent in The Hosta Journal (1996 Vol. 27 No. 1),  Tony gives the following comments on cultivars he has introduced: "H. 'Potomac Pride' - unique hybrid of H. yingeri x H. 'Blue Cadet'. ..a larger plant with spider-like flowers...future parent to many spectacular introductions."

An article by Dr. Ben J.M. Zonneveld in The Hosta Journal (1996 Vol. 27 No. 2) states that, "...I found in the garden of Hideko Gowen,..I also found a seedling of H. 'Salute' (a H. rupifraga × H. kikutii prunosa cross or, is H. 'Blue Cadet' also involved?). It had a total of eight scapes in bud...The peculiar thing was that there was just a single crown with about eight leaves. Surely a plant to give some attention."