Hosta 'Decorata'
aka 'Thomas Hogg' & formerly H. decorata
aka Blunt Plantainlily

This medium size (15 inches high by 36 inches wide) came from Japan and is of unidentified parentage. It was first described by famed horticulturist, Liberty Hyde Bailey in 1930 and, at one time, was considered a separate species under the name Hosta decorata. It was changed to cultivar status in The Genus Hosta by W. George Schmid (1991) and is correctly known as H. 'Decorata'.

In 2002, H. 'Decorata' was registered by The American Hosta Society since the originator was unknown and re-registered with new data in 2018. Its foliage is dark green with a creamy white marginal variegation with some gray streaking. The leaves are slightly shiny on top and very shiny beneath. They are lightly folded, slightly wavy and lightly corrugated. It bears dark purple, bell-shaped flowers with stripes from July into August followed by viable seeds.

The registration materials state: "...historic plant; tough; hardy; blunt leaves...W. George Schmid, in The Genus Hosta, Timber Press, 1991, reduced this hosta from a species to Cultivar status. The registration information was supplied by P. Ruh and is gratefully acknowledged by the Registrar."

This plant is one of a handful of rhizomatous hostas which also includes those from the species, H. clausa. As a result, it makes a good ground cover or edging plant.

This is also an example of the same plant having more than one name. According to The Hosta Handbook by Mark Zilis (2000), this plant is actually H. 'Decorata' although it has been sold under the 'Thomas Hogg' name for years. Also, H. 'Undulata Albomarginata' was historically sold as H. 'Thomas Hogg' in England .

The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by Diana Grenfell (2009) states: "Although it can be difficult in a garden setting, it can be very effective if left alone to increase around trees or in light woodland."

Thomas Hogg, Jr. was a plant explorer who some credit with being the one to introduce the species hosta in the trade in America and Europe.

This plant may have been sold at one time as 'Mackwood No. 12'.

 

"I often wonder why this classic speciod is not on the "most popular" list. It has a very characteristic and unique leaf shape and beautiful early flowers. It is stoloniferous and if left alone will make a large colony. A superb ground cover...I would not be without it."








 

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