PAGE TOP

We have searched our copies of The Hosta Journal for anything that might relate to any of the over 15,000 hosta names in our database. We extracted parts of articles that dealt with historical matters, opinions of well-known hostaphiles, recommendations (positive or negative), lookalike cultivars and the seemingly never ending problem with confusing names.

Where appropriate, we placed a copy of the material on the individual cultivar or species page. We also put the information and quotations on a group of topic pages listed below:

  1. Blue Hostas
  2. 'Blue Mouse Ears'
  3. Early Hosta Cultivars
  4. Fall Bloomers
  5. Flowers
  6. Green Hostas
  7. Halcyon Group
  8. Hosta History
  9. Hybridizing
  1. Japanese Words
  2. Large Hostas
  3. Look-a-Like Hostas
  4. Hosta Names
  5. Non-US Hostas
  6. Photo Essays
  7. Plant Traits
  8. Hosta Series
  9. Small Hostas
  1. Hosta Species
  2. Top Rated Hostas
  3. Unstable Variegation
  4. White Margin Hostas
  5. White Medial Hostas
  6. Yellow Hostas
  7. Yellow Margin Hostas
  8. Yellow Medial Hostas

3) An article by Frederick McGourty, owner of Hillside Gardens in Connecticut in The Hosta Journal (1985 Vol. 16) states that, "I suspect that a few of the older hostas will survive the onslaught. One that I see everywhere these days, from planting of other times, is Hosta lancifolia, which makes a serviceable edging or ground cover, although the glossy green leaves are small for the genus. It is still one of the best hostas for flowers, which are rich lavender and borne in the latter part of the summer after most other hostas have ceased blooming. Hosta lancifolia is almost indestructible, a trait not always appreciated by nurserymen. Like marigolds, it has suffered a lot from banal uses."

Note: Nomenclature changes recommended in the 1991 book The Genus Hosta by W. George Schmid and accepted by The American Hosta Society would update names as follows: H. 'Lancifolia'

2) An article by Warren I. Pollock in The Hosta Journal (1991 Vol. 22 No. 2) states that, "The flowers of H. yingeri are atypical of most hosta species, having pale purple lobes that spread in a "spider-flower" fashion. Also, the flowers are evenly spaced around the central shaft...Hybridizers are now using H. yingeri to import its good leaf substance, glossiness and unique flower character to seedlings."

1) An article by David H. Stevenson, Hosta Registrar in The Hosta Journal (1997 Vol. 28 No. 1) states that, "Flowering times of a given cultivar or species vary significantly from region to region...The intent is for those using these descriptions to be able to judge flowering time of a given cultivar against common species which they might have in their own gardens."

4) An article by Warren I. Pollock in The Hosta Journal (2002 Vol. 33 No. 1) states that, "I asked Bob Solberg...for an explanation of the cultivar's name." H. 'Korean Snow'," he said, "was named after the origin of its H. yingeri heritage and its unique misted variegation pattern, similar but different from Vaughn's 'snow flurry' pattern."

...Bill Meyer...points out that, "what is most unusual about the leaves of H. 'Korean Snow' is the stability of the streaking. Only occasionally do bits of margin or edge or even solid-color areas, form. Supposedly this highly stable streaking will be passed on to its offspring. Also, as to be expected, some leaves tend to be more green than white, others more white than green. Coloring is most striking in early spring."...The blooms are small and dainty, airily spaced completely around strong, thin upright stems." Spider" or "spidery" is the term used to describe the shape of these flower petals."

5) An article about flower fragrance by Ben J.M. Zonneveld of the Netherlands in The Hosta Journal (2002 Vol. 33 No. 2) states that, "As far as I know, H. plantaginea is the only fragrant hosta species. All of the more than 50 other fragrant hosta cultivars are hybrids of plantaginea...Where I live, near the coast of The Netherlands, the average summer temperature is only about 18°C (65°F). This means that plantaginea has so far only flowered once for me in five years."

6) An article by Bill Meyer in The Hosta Journal (2003 Vol. 34 No. 1) states that, "H. plantaginia...has contributed all the fragrance found in modern hybrids...It is unique in continuing to produce new leaves until it blooms, it tends to add vigor and size to its hybrids, it gives increased flower size and almost always fragrance and it performs well in warmer climates. There are a few serious negative traits...the worst is that it is very difficult to combine with other species...adds markedly decreased frost-resistance...trouble blooming in cool-summer climates, very poor fertility in later generations and a strong resistance to blue waxes and lutescent yellow coloring."

7) An article by W. George Schmid in The Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 1) says, "Fragrance is obviously simple to attain. H. plantaginea must be in the mix to create fragrant hybrids. Some Japanese booklets claim that other hostas are also purveyors of fragrance in hybridizing, but I will believe it when I smell it."

8) An article about H. 'Tsugaru Komachi' by Warren I. Pollock in The Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 2)) quotes W. George Schimd about the name meaning, "beautiful (girl or maiden) hosta from Tugaru."
9) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Corkscrew' has "a forked scape."
10) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Purple Ladyfinger' has "purple flowers that elongate but do not open."
11) A comment on the Hosta Library says that on H. 'Concord' "the blooms are deep purple, and last for most of the month." Note: this refers to the length of flowering season since each bloom only lasts one day.
12) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Purple Passion' has "deep purple blossoms with bronzed purple scapes and seed pods."
13) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Craig Harlequin Bells' has a "white edged bloom."
14) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Dawn' has "deep purple flowers against the bright yellow scapes and leaves."
15) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'First Mate' has "the flowers are star-like with lavender veins (tetraploid)."
16) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Foxfire Rose Red' has "intense red-colored petioles; flower is deep purple with a white margin."
17) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Genesee Genco' has "reddish purple flower buds on glaucous scapes."
18) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Goldbrook Grayling' has "pink flowers."
19) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Golden Fountain' has flowers that are "deep reddish-purple with purple stripe inside."
20) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Green with Envy' has flowers with "bluish anthers" for a few hours in the morning.
21) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'PeeDee Elfin Bells' is "a repeat bloomer."
22) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. pycnophylla has "nearly horizontal scapes with the full weight of the blooms."
23) A comment on the Hosta Library says that H. 'Raspberry Sorbet' has "purple-red scapes and bluish-purple flowers."
24) A comment on the Hosta Library says that on H. 'Red Dragon'  "the bud is the surprise, resembling a dragon's head, and is quite unique."

25) An article about favorite flowering hostas by C.H. Falstad in The Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 2) says, "Picking one hosta flower is like settling for one flavor of Ice Cream the rest of your life...H. 'Venus' - how can you beat a huge, pure white, deliciously fragrant flower...'Austin Dickinson': Wow! Large, fragrant, with dark purple stripe son white background in the inside and purple and white perpendicular bands on the outside, upright scapes with flowers held out at 90 degrees...'Hirao Majesty', solid medium purple with deep purple anthers...Large flowers with pointed petals (tepals)...Many people call 'Hirao Majesty' the bird-of-paradise of hostas, and the unopened scape and bracts resemble that plant quite well."

26) An article about favorite flowering hostas by Mary Chastain in The Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 2) says, "A favorite from my breeding program is a new hosta: H. 'Whispering Leaves'. If you look carefully at the center of the flower scape, you may find three buds where there is normally one...They are the nearest to pink I have in my garden."

27) An article about favorite flowering hostas by Steve Chamberlain in The Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 2) says, "My four favorites are: (1) H. plantaginea - when it blossoms, there is just nothing like it. Size, purity of white, fragrance! (2) H. ventricosa - the ark purple gets me every time. (3) H. 'Academy Flora' - the pale lavender flowers are arrayed 360° around the short scapes. You can grow this one for the flowers in a non-hosta garden. (4) H. 'Matthew J. Walton' - an H. ventricosa hybrid...with very large leaves and very large bell-shaped blooms. The color isn't quite as dark as the species, but the scapes are fairly tall and the flowers spectacular."

28) An article by Warren I. Pollock in The Hosta Journal (2011 Vol. 42 No. 1) states that, "The handsome 'Victory'...a sport of 'Elatior', has handsome green leaves with creamy  yellow margin that fades to creamy white. It too has those exceedingly tall flower scapes; the registration gives their heights as 40 to 70 inches. I am one of those who does not consider the scapes of 'Elatior' and 'Victory' a positive attribute."

Copyright© 2000 -