Hosta 'Fire and Ice'
 

This sport of HostaPatriot ’ was registered in 1999 by Hans Hansen and Shady Oaks Nursery of Minnesota. The medium size (15 inches high) mound has dark green leaves with white variegations in the center. It has funnel shaped lavender flowers on 30 inch scapes from late July into August. No seeds are produced by this cultivar.

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "On first impression, it appears to be a spectacular hosta...Unfortunately, it has not proven to be a good grower in the garden."

From the Field Guide to Hostas by Mark Zilis (2014), "Like all other difficult-to-grow hostas, 'Fire and Ice' needs special care for at least the first three years after planting."

The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by Diana Grenfell (2009) states: "Seemingly vigorous for a medio-variegated hosta...Scapes are white and purple dotted toward the raceme...The clump is taller than most hostas of this type."



An article by Akira Horinaka in The Hosta Journal (2006 Vol. 37 No. 1) says,  "Other white-centered hostas with bold green borders are 'Banana Boat', 'Warwick Delight', 'Pandora's Box', 'Sea Thunder' and 'Fire and Ice'. Those with a narrow green border include 'Morinji Nishiki', 'Otome-no-mai', 'Hakuba' and 'White Christmas'."

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

 

An article by Warren I. Pollack in The Hosta Journal  (2020 Vol. 51 No. 1) titled Doppelgänger Hostas: Fancy Name for Look-alike Hostas, included a long list of hostas which various hostaphiles, published articles or other sources have indicated "look" the same. Some of these are, in fact, the same plant with two or more different names. Others are hostas that vary in some minor trait which is not immediately discernable to the casual observer such as seasonal color variations, bloom traits, ploidy, etc. So, as Warren mentions, hostaphiles may differ as to the plants listed but then, their opinions are based on visual observations and interpretations.

 
H. 'Fire and Ice', H. 'Flash of Light', H. 'Loyalist' and H. 'Paul Revere'.
 

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