We have searched our copies of The Hosta Journal for anything that might relate to any of the over 15,000 hosta names in our database. We extracted parts of articles that dealt with historical matters, opinions of well-known hostaphiles, recommendations (positive or negative), lookalike cultivars and the seemingly never ending problem with confusing names.

Where appropriate, we placed a copy of the material on the individual cultivar or species page. We also put the information and quotations on a group of topic pages listed below:

1. Blue Hostas
2. 'Blue Mouse Ears'
3. Early Hosta Cultivars
4. Fall Bloomers
5. Flowers
6. Green Hostas
7. Halcyon Group
8. Hosta History
9. Hybridizing

10. Japanese Words
11. Large Hostas
12. Look-a-Like Hostas
13. Hosta Names
14. Non-US Hostas
15. Photo Essays
16. Plant Traits
17. Hosta Series
18. Small Hostas

19. Hosta Species
20. Top Rated Hostas
21. Unstable Variegation
22. White Margin Hostas
23. White Medial Hostas
24. Yellow Hostas
25. Yellow Margin Hostas
26. Yellow Medial Hostas

Of course all species of hosta are green, and they are all classics. Those that are readily available to gardeners are: H. longipes, H. kikutii, H. montana, H. plantaginea, H. ventricosa, H. venusta and H. yingeri .

1. H. 'Candy Hearts' has dark-green heart-shaped leaves.
2. H. 'Donahue Piecrust' is one of the best piecrust-margined hostas.
3. H. 'Fortunei Hyacinthina' is the precursor to many sports.
4. H. 'Green Fountain' has long pointed flowing leaves.
5. H. 'Joseph', if you want shiny dark-green leaves, this the plant for you. It has masses of lavender flowers to boot!
6. H. 'Hirao Majesty', H. 'Hirao Splendor' and H. 'Hirao Supreme' are each distinctive.
7. H. 'Honebells' is one of the first fragrant hybrid hostas.
8. H. 'Invincible' is not indestructible, but very distinctive with shiny dark-green leaves and large fragrant flowers.
9. H. 'Lakeside Black Satin' is noted for every dark-green satiny leaves.
10. H. 'Lancifolia' is probably the most widely grown hosta.

11. H. 'Leather Sheen' has dark-green leathery leaves.
12. H. 'Maraschino Cherry' is another dark-green, but just wait till the flowers appear in late summer on dark, cherry red petioles!
13. H. 'Elatior' is the one, if you like big hostas. There are a couple of look-alikes, but this one's flowers grow straight up rather than sideway from the plant.
14. H. 'Pearl Lake' is an old time blue green that has staying power.
15. H. 'Regal Rhubarb' is one of the first hybrids to have red petioles.
16. H. 'Royal Standard' -- who can fault this plain green, sun-tolerant hosta in late summer when masses of pure white fragrant flowers appear?
17. H. 'Second Wind' is a plain green sport of a popular variegated plant, but distinctive and showy in its own right.
18. H. 'Sparkling Burgundy' is another green with delightful flowers and red stems.
19. H. 'Tortifrons' is like no other hosta!
20. H. 'Undulata Erromena' is the green sport of the white-margined hosta that Grandma grew.

This is quite an extensive list of distinctive cultivars. Many have been popular either with gardeners, landscapers and collectors for over 25 years...Their timeless beauty is why they are still kicking after all these years.