This cultivar is a sport of H. rectifolia from Japan. It grows into a large size hosta about 24 inch high by 70 inches wide with green foliage that has white streaked variegation that lasts all season. The leaves have stout petioles and are lanceolate, flat and smooth. This cultivar bears striped, purple flowers with purple anthers from mid-August into September. There are short green bracts on the flowers scapes.

Mikiko Lockwood in an article on The Hosta Library titled, A Little About Japanese Hosta Terms defines the term nishiki as brocade (rich-colored woven fabric) i.e. something colorful and beautiful.