United States Patent: PP23587  (2013)

Abstract: A new and unique Hosta plant named ‘American Hero’ characterized by compact plant habit and stiff, upright, heavily-substanced, twisted, variegated leaves with dark green margins and creamy centers. The leaf veins have an irregular and unusual fusing, a puckering or corrugation especially between the leaf margin and center and the creamy centers have an irregular green flecking. Flowering lasts for about 3 to 4 weeks beginning in mid-July with numerous light-lavender upward-facing flowers on cream-colored scapes.

The patent application lists the following as similar cultivars: "...'Americana' (not patented), 'Loyalist' (not patented), 'Revolution' (not patented), 'Paul Revere' (not patented), 'Fire and Ice' (not patented) and 'Pathfinder (not patented). 'Loyalist’, 'Fire and Ice' and 'Paul Revere' all appear to be identical to each other but are independently derived sports all from 'Patriot' with flat leaves having a dark-green margin and white center having a small number of green speckles in the center. 'Revolution’, 'Americana' and 'American Hero' are directly or indirectly sports (mutations) of 'Patriot' (not patented). All seven of the Hosta cultivars listed above have similar leaf variegation patterns with the green margins and whitish centers. Hosta ‘American Hero' has a highly-contrasting, wide, deep-green leaf margins with a bright white leaf centers which have a unique speckling of green flecks of irregular lengths and widths. The new plant also has unique veining that produces an extreme twisting of the leaf blades."