 
This slow growing
tissue culture sport of H. 'Sagae' forms a large size (26 inches high by 63 inches wide) mound of vase shaped foliage.
John Machen, Jr of Virginia. of Virginia registered this plant in 2000 and obtained U.S. Plant Patent
12,531 in 2002. The leaves have thick substance and are
moderately rippled. Pale lavender flowers bloom from mid-July into August. According to
The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "The margin width of 'Liberty' differs so
significantly from 'Sagae' itself that the two do not seem
related...it has achieved incredible popularity."
The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by
Diana
Grenfell (2009) states: "Slower to increase than its parents. Use as a
specimen in the border,...May need extra care to achieve its
potential."
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Ian Scroggy of Bali-Hai Nursery in
Northern Ireland wrote in
The
Hosta Journal (2008 Vol. 39 No.1) about his thoughts on
H. 'Majesty', H. 'Clifford's Forest Fire', H. 'Magic Fire' and H. 'Liberty'. They
are similar appearing yellow-margined sports of H. 'Sagae'. He says, "...of the
four, my favourite has to be 'Liberty'. It is much better for colour."
| H. 'Majesty' |
- "Of the four, 'Majesty is my best
seller...The leaf detail is very consistent, with three shades of
green that bleed out into the outer edge, forming almost a pale lime
green margin, rather than a creamy-yellow margin...growing
conditions play a big factor in the colour of the leaves...as it is
late to emerge it never gets frost damage...leaf colour is muted,
not as bright as the edge on 'Sagae' but the colour last on this
plant much longer." |
| H. 'Clifford's Forest Fire' |
- "I think the problem in the nursery
trade has been what I experienced: I got two different batches in
and both were different in colour and habit. The leaves were more
mid-green onto olive-green centres with a yellow edge, not bright
orange-yellow...Growth rate is slow and the leaves grow more flat
than upwards, but very compact and tight together...The surface of
the leaf is slightly shiny." |
| H. 'Magic Fire' |
- Very striking, more like a zingy
yellow. It really catches the eye with dark green centres that have
much more veining of the centre into the border. Also the leaves are
totally different from the other 'Sagae' sports: much bigger with an
undulating wave across the width of the leaves like 'waves'; very
unusual. The leaves are not as strong as 'Majesty'...Not good autumn colour. I'd say it's a spring hosta. Of the four, 'Magic Fire' is
the most different from its parent." |
| H. 'Liberty' |
- "When it emerges it is really a show
stopper, with a bright orange-yellow margin with mid-green centres.
Comes up very upright and unfurls slowly, which I think really
intensifies the colour more to the eye, as it has more of an impact
when you do not see the centres of the leaves on emergence. The
leaves are heart-shaped much more than the other three but the
colour and form are much more elegant. |
| "I only know that I have not sold
'Sagae' since these four hostas
came along. The only problem with 'Liberty' is it is slow like 'Sagae' and the leaves get very thin under hot
weather (our hot weather is 25 degrees C [77° F], not as warm as in
the USA)." |
|
 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.
'Ivory
Coast', H. 'Liberty' and
H. 'Majesty'. |
|
United States Patent: PP12531 
