Originated by
Georg Ahrends of Germany in the 1930s, this
non-registered cultivar is a seedling of
H. ventricosa. It forms a
large size (22 inches high by 50 inches wide) mound with shiny, dark green, heart
shaped foliage. The dark purple, bell-shaped flowers with purple anthers are borne in July. The flower
scapes may have faint red on them and bear a single bract about half way up. According to
The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "...may no longer exist."
An article by W. George Schmid in
The
Hosta Journal (1985 Vol. 16) discusses the
University of Munich's trial gardens Staudensichtungsgarten Weihenstephan, "...a
fine collection of hostas. These are of great importance from a historical
standpoint, because many of the cultivars there came from the early German
hybridizers, including Georg Ahrends . They include
H. sieboldii (syn. H. albomarginata) 'Alba Improved',
H. ventricosa 'Superba', H. tardiflora 'Hybrids'
and H. 'Elegans'."
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