W. George Schmid in his Hosta Species Update in The Hosta Library (2008) states that this is a non-registered sport of H. montana which is rarely seen in Japanese gardens. It has green foliage with a "frosted" streaky mist type variegation in the leaf blade.

As a sport of H. montana, this plant is probably a large size hosta with an upright growth habit and medium green colored foliage. The leaves are deeply veined, moderately wavy with a moderately lobed leaf base. It has open funnel shaped, very pale lavender flowers in July with bracts on the flower scape after the flower opens. Plants of this species also tend to emerge early in the spring and are often susceptible to damage from frosts if not protected.

The name, appropriately, means frosty looking.

Mikiko Lockwood in an article on The Hosta Library titled, A Little About Japanese Hosta Terms defines the term chirifu as speckled, mottled or overall variegated.