Hosta hypoleuca, the white-backed hosta, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae.[1] It is native to eastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan.[2] It is restricted to cliffs, gorges, canyon walls, and other steep, rocky situations, typically near waterfalls or rivulets, and typically south-facing.[3] A protected species, it is considered endangered in Japan due to road construction, and illegal collection for the garden trade.[3]

Hosta hypoleuca
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Agavoideae
Genus: Hosta
Species:
H. hypoleuca
Binomial name
Hosta hypoleuca

It is a candidate for rock gardens and green walls, as it has a number of adaptations for survival on cliffs. These include clinging roots, leaves with white undersides that reflect heat reradiating from rocks, and the ability to produce more or fewer leaves depending on water and soil availability.[4] It is variable in its leaf shape and venation pattern, depending on which clone was originally collected in the wild.[3] When cultivated on flat ground, it produces more leaves in the typical hosta growth form. It is the pod parent of a number of hybrid cultivars, including 'Arch Duke', 'Bedford Blue', 'King David', 'Kiwi Hippo', 'Lakeside Lagoon', 'Limestone Lover', 'Maggie May', 'Show Stopper', 'Talladega', and 'Uncle Albert', with the 'Maekawa', 'Butternut Hill', 'Setsurei', and 'Thor' cultivars actually being selfed progeny of the species, and therefore not hybrids.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Hosta hypoleuca white-backed hosta". The Royal Horticultural Society. 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021. 1 suppliers
  2. ^ "Hosta hypoleuca Gen Murata". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Schmid, W. George (26 May 2010). "H. hypoleuca Murata 1962" (PDF). www.hostalibrary.org. Hosta Library. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Hosta hypoleuca". Plant Finder. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 31 July 2021.