An excellent landscape plant, this hosta which starts the season blue-green but later changes to dark green forms a large size (23 inches high by 55 inches wide) mound. Narrow, pale lavender flowers that are funnel shaped form on 36 inch tall scapes from late July into August. 

Until Schmid (1991) changed the status of this plant from a species to a cultivar, this plant had been known by several other names including Hosta fortunei var hyacinthina, Hosta hyacinthina, Hosta fortunei glauca, Hosta fortunei, Hosta glauca and Hosta sieboldiana fortunei. It was registered by The American Hosta Society and Dr. Nils Hylander of Sweden in 1987

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "If any hosta should be called Hosta 'Fortunei', this is it. All of its mound, foliage, and flowering characteristics can be considered typical of the Fortunei Group as a whole. 'Fortunei Hyacinthina' has been one of the most widely grown hostas for landscaping purposes due to its excellent growth rate and durability."

The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by Diana Grenfell (2009) states: "Origin: Unknown but thought to have evolved in a European garden in the mid-nineteenth century...Tolerates morning sun, which enhances the already excellent flowers but causes the slight blueness in the leaves to disappear...currently grown less for its garden value than its propensity to throw sports...Flowers that resemble hyacinths and are among the best in the genus."

This cultivar has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in the UK.  May have been sold at one time as 'Mackwoods No. 11'. The classic Hosta ‘Gold Standard ’ is a sport of this cultivar.