Registered jointly by Dr. Ralph (Herb) Benedict of Michigan and Hideko Gowen of Minnesota in 1999, this cultivar is a hybrid of H. 'Salute' × H. pycnophylla. A medium size (16 inches high) plant with narrowly ovate leaves that fold inward, it has pale lavender flowers in mid summer.

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "Among the many cultivars with rippled margins, 'Cutting Edge' ranks near the top. The way the leaves are folded exposes the white undersides and seems to accentuate the rippled effect. This is a must for any complete hosta collection."

The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by Diana Grenfell (2009) states: "Slow to assume its mature characteristics but well worth the wait...The leaf edge sometimes furls upward revealing the distinctly thickly powdered white underside."

An article by Warren I. Pollock in The Hosta Journal (2003 Vol. 34 No. 1) states that, "H. pycnophylla, the pollen parent of 'Cutting Edge', was named by Dr. Fumio Maekawa in 1976...The green leaves which can be as large as 8 inches long by 7 inches wide at maturity, have slightly rippled margins and white undersides -- from which 'Cutting Edge' gets its principal handsome attributes.