P00 Hosta 'Krossa Regal' from The Hosta Helper - Presented by PlantsGalore.Com

Hosta 'Krossa Regal'
aka Ginba Gibōshi or Chodai Giniro Gibōshi

Introduced by Gus Krossa of Michigan who imported it from Japan, this "classic" cultivar was registered in 1980 by his wife, Alma, after his death. The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), states that it was "...registered as a sterile offspring of H. nigrescens... more likely a hybrid of H. rectifolia x H. nigrescens or H. rectifolia x 'Tokudama'..."

This is a slow growing, giant size (33 inches high by 71 inches wide) plant with a vase shaped mound of rich blue foliage. Its leaves are slightly wavy, smooth textured with good substance. Medium lavender, funnel shape flowers are borne on tall (3 to 5 feet tall) scapes from late July into August. It does not produce seed.

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), this cultivar "...has become a hosta "classic" for many reasons. The large-size, vase-shaped mound of frosty blue foliage is slug resistant and makes the perfect centerpiece plant for almost any garden."

This cultivar has appeared on several of the Popularity Polls by members of The American Hosta Society (see below). This cultivar has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in the UK.

"AHS Eunice Fisher Award, 1974. Plant is a sterile descendant of H. nigrescens. Imported from Japan by Krossa in the 1950s and by him cultivated under H. 'Krossa No. A-3'...Widely cultivated, it attained the No. 2 position in The American Hosta Society popularity poll for 1988. During tissue culture several mutant forms have appeared and have been named: H. 'Porcelain Vase'...which is a mediovariegated greenish white with dark green margins, and H. Regal Splendor...a whitish yellow margined..."

From the Field Guide to Hostas by Mark Zilis (2014), "...is known for its "blue" foliage, its early season color is actually more of a powdery or silvery grey that differs from the blues of the Sieboldianas and Tokudamas."

The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by Diana Grenfell (2009) states: "Of great architectural merit as a specimen and good in a large container, which must be kept well-watered. Outstanding in leaf and flower. Winner of the 2001 Alex J. Summers Distinguished Merit Hosta Award."

W. George Schmid in his Hosta Species Update on The Hosta Library (2007) says, "The plant originated in Japan with Osaka University (a source of a number of Japanese plants for G. Krossa). Its Japanese vernacular name is based on its size and silvery color, being Chodai Giniro Gibōshi. Translated this name means “exceptionally large, silver colored hosta. western equivalent...would be H. ‘Chodai Giniro’ but it is registered as H. ‘Krossa Regal’ and known under this name the world over. This hosta can be seen in most hosta collec-tions. It has the same vase-shaped clump as H. nigrescens with silvery leaves and tall scapes as the parent species.”

Mikiko Lockwood in an article on The Hosta Library titled, A Little About Japanese Hosta Terms defines the term ginba as silver (white) leaf.

An article by C.H. Falstad about the stability of colors in hosta leaves in The Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 1) says, "The least stable hostas tend to be those with streaked leaves...In September, 1982 I found the first streaked forms of 'Krossa Regal'...Today, more than 20 years later, most of those clumps remain predominately streaked...In comparison, I once owned a plant of 'Yellow Splash'...Within a year or two, it turned entirely into 'Yellow Splash Rim'..."