I am often asked who gave a particular Hosta its name? Why is it called that? Who thinks up these names?
Many Hosta varieties are named simply after something that is relevant to the breeder or grower. It could be the name of the area such as the ‘Lakeside’ varieties, or even named after food. They could be a reflection on the name surrounding a nursery such as Paradise Road, at Fransen Hostas in Holland. These are generally bred, grown & named by the nursery.
One particular chap is Bob Solberg. The Recipient of the 2008 Eunice Fisher Distinguished Hybridizer Merit Award from the American Hosta Society. He has been introducing new Hostas for many years and has named over 100 varieties. A great deal of them have been named after food. If you have a Hosta with a foody name, the chances are that Bob Solberg introduced it.
Some of the better know foody varieties from Bob are Avocado, Blueberry Tart, Coconut Custard, Cracker Crumbs, Curly Fries, First Blush, First Frost, Fresh Mint, Fried Bananas, Frozen Margarita, Guacamole, Lemon Snap, Orange Marmalade,Pineapple Salsa, Tiki Bar, Tiny Bubbles, Tortilla Chip, Twist of Lime and many others.
Let’s not forget Lakeside Hostas, hailing from Lakeside Acres in eastern Tennessee, owned and operated by Mary Chastain and her husband Roy. Together, their work represents some of the most advanced Hosta breeding in the world. Mary will tell you that, much like people, each Lakeside Hosta has its own unique personality, each one distinct from the next. Most of their Hostas are named with the ‘lakeside’ prefix. Some of their better known varieties are as follows Hosta Lakeside Banana Bay, Hosta Lakeside Cha Cha, Hosta, Lakeside Cupcake, Hosta Lakeside Dragonfly , Hosta Lakeside Elfin Fire, Hosta Lakeside Little Tuft, Hosta Lakeside Maverick, Hosta Lakeside Meter Maid, Hosta Lakeside Ninita, Hosta Lakeside Paisley Print 2019 AHG Hosta of the Year, Hosta Lakeside Spellbinder, Hosta Lakeside Spruce Goose, Hosta Lakeside Zinger. As you can see from the photos above the Lakeside Hostas are still firm favourites with Hosta lovers. We currently have over a dozen varieties on our website www.rewelahostas.com
Mildred Seaver began hybridizing Hostas in 1978 and during her lifetime she registered 95 distinctive cultivars including some well known selections like ‘Spilt Milk’, ‘Allan P. McConnell’, Komodo Dragon ‘Queen of the Seas’, and Humpback Whale. She was known in Hosta circles as the “Queen Bee” or “Queen of Hostas”.
Mildred Seaver passed away on March 6, 2011 at the age of 98. She is survived by her son, Charlie Seaver Jr. who is also a Hosta hybridizer, her daughter, Muriel Seaver Brown, four grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.
Our main supplier is Fransen Hostas, who are a family owned & run Hosta business that have been introducing new Hosta varieties for many years. You will see many ‘Paradise’ Hostas on the market today. If the name has Paradise as part of the name, it is like to be one of theirs.
The first Hosta they discovered was a variegated sport of Hosta Halcyon and by combining the name of the road they live on, the Paradijsweg, (Paradise), and Joyce’s name we called it Hosta Paradise Joyce. After Franco’s lovely wife. The rest is history.
They didn’t always stick to the paradise name, but here are a few, Hosta Paradise Beach, Hosta Paradise Expectations, Hosta Paradise Glory, Hosta Paradise Island, Hosta Paradise Joyce, Hosta Paradise on Fire, Hosta Paradise Power, Hosta Paradise Puppet, Hosta Paradise Sunset.
A series is a group of things which are similar or somehow related to one another. A group of Hostas with similar names, for example, can be called a "series". Choosing similar names is a clever way to assemble plants into a group and associate them with their originator. For more information on ‘series’, please use the link… Hosta Series List
A series can also be formed by selecting names with a particular subject or theme in mind. Many gardeners are familiar with the extensive series of "Mouse Ears" Hostas. If you are a fan of these small, thick-substanced Hostas, then you probably know there are many now available, and more are added each year.
If you are a "Trekkie" or space fan, you may consider collecting the entire series of Star Trek Hostas for your garden. The extensive list of "Trekkie" Hostas have been introduced primarily by three hybridizers- Dirk Dupré, Mark Zilis, and Jim Schwarz. Some of these are Hosta Captain Kirk, Hosta Captains Adventure, Hosta Dark Star, Hosta Dilithium Crystal, Hosta Lunar Orbit, Hosta Space Odyssey, Hosta Vulcan.
There are literally thousands of named varieties on the market today. They all have a reason for their name, whether it be a place, or series, designed to entice the customer to like it.
New Hosta customers typically purchase them based on appearance, whereas more experienced Hosta collectors often seek out new varieties, frequently motivated by the name rather than just appearance or size.
However you pick your Hosta, it has been named as it is, for a very good reason. There are many more still to come.
Enjoy them!
To learn more about Hostas, you may be interested in reading : How to care for your Hostas Over Winter, What Are the Common Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Hostas?, Ways to Protect Your Hostas from Slugs and Snails and "Uncovering the Advantages of Bare Root Hostas
Shop for Hostas HERE
John Plant
Rewela Hostas
Brilliant read Thank you , really interesting and informative, nice to know where the names derive from
Please keep up the good work
Any chance of a feature on your care and culture of mini Hostas please 👍