This is another Japanese species
that has a long history and which has had several different
names. It is a small sized (13 inches high) plant that forms a
dense mound of elliptic to narrowly ovate shaped foliage. The
leaves are slightly wavy, have smooth texture and thin
substance. It produces funnel shaped, medium purple flowers in
August.
According to Zilis
(2000), this plant has also been known as either Hosta albomarginata or
Hosta lancifolia albomarginata in the past.
The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis
(2009), states, "Unfortunately, it was
designated as a species in 1838 and serves as the type for a
large taxonomic group of hostas (Schmid
1991, p. 99). For this reason, George Schmid chose not to
reclassify Hosta sieboldii as a cultivar. Instead, the
green-leaved form found in the wild was designated a form of the
species i.e., Hosta sieboldii f. spathulata (ibid, p.
104)."
The species is named for
famed plant explorer,
Philip von Siebold.
