Hosta aff rhodeifolia

In the upper woodland is a spectacular and colourful group of Hosta aff. rhodeifolia. A strong growing herbaceous clump with mid green leaves and stunning off blue flower spikes.

Described by Maekawa in 1937 in the Journal of Japanese Botany as H. rohdeifolia. However it is often spelt H. rhodeifolia.

The species name is based on the genus Rohdea whose leaves it resembles. The genus Rohdea was named after Michael Rohde a German botanist (1782 – 1812) Thus making the spelling rhodeifolia a spelling error although it was a published name in the Journal of Faculty of Science in 1940, again by Maekawa.

Ah taxonomy; art or science? This is where the Gardens unique accession number holds its own.

Hosta aff rhodeifolia

Seeds were collected on an expedition to Japan in 1988. The parent plant found growing in mixed grassland at the roadside in Hokkaido Island, to the north of Japan. On collection it was thought to be affiliated to the species (aff. rhodeifolia) and on germinating given the accession number 19890473. Even if renamed this unique number will follow the plant making it identifiable back to the seed source.