This species is still a matter of disagreement among the "experts" of hostadom. The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009) referred to the 1940 monograph on hostas by Dr. Fumio Maekawa and W. George Schmid's monograph from 1991. Zilis states, "Simply put, Maekawa's and Schmid's H. cathayana are the same as the most common hosta in American shade gardens - H. 'Lancifolia'."

According to The Genus Hosta by W. George Schmid (1991), "...the "autumn wind hosta" is often mistaken for the cultigen H. 'Lancifolia' because the only visible differences are the former's smaller, glossy leaves and shorter scapes, persistent bracts, and later flowering time ("blooms in the autumn wind")...originally from China as its species epithet indicates (cathaiana = from China )."

It is an upright growing, small size plant about 10 inches in height with a spread of 12 to 28 inches. The leaves are glossy green, slightly wavy and smooth in texture. Pale purple, funnel-shaped flowers with purple anthers bloom from August into September. They produce viable seeds.