H. ‘Frances Williams’
Hosta ‘Frances Williams’ is a registered cultivar () , originated by F. Williams & C. Williams.
| Year registered | 1986 |
|---|---|
| Registrant | F. Williams & C. Williams |
| Section class | I-5b (Giant) |
Last checked against the AHS registry:
What it looks like
'Frances Williams' has large, rounded blue-green leaves with a chartreuse-to-yellow margin (AHS registry). The leaf is almost as wide as it is long, 12 × 10 in with 12 vein pairs. Flowers are white, recorded in Massachusetts from mid June into August, on scapes about 30 in tall.
Registered size
| Source | Height | Width | Leaf (L × W) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AHS Registry record (1986) | 18 in (46 cm) | 36 in (91 cm) | 12 × 10 in (30 × 25 cm) |
| AHS Hosta of the Year booklet | not listed | not listed | — |
It was never an AHGA Hosta of the Year, so there is no second AHS size figure. The registry record does not say how old the measured clump was.
Where it fits
A large hosta on paper: the registered clump is 36 in across and 18 in high, with a 12 × 10 in leaf. The registry gives no habit, so the shape of a grown clump is not documented. The record gives white flowers from mid June into August in Massachusetts, on scapes of 30 in.
How it compares
- 'Elegans' is the parent: a bluish gray-green leaf with no margin, 10 × 9 in, on a registered clump of 40 in across and 20 in high (registry #5129).
- 'Liberty' also combines blue-green with a yellow margin, but the margin is much wider (2.5 in), the registered habit is upright, at 39.4 in high and 39.4 in across, and the booklet says the margin turns creamy white by mid-season.
- 'Earth Angel' has a slightly blue-green leaf of similar size (12 × 9 in) with a 0.5–1 in creamy white margin, registered at 39 in across and 16 in high; the booklet gives a separate figure of 30 × 60 in.
Parentage and awards
Sport of 'Elegans' (registry). Registered by F. Williams and C. Williams in 1986; clump history is given as Massachusetts.
- Listed in the AHS Popularity Poll in 2001 and 2002.
- No AHGA Hosta of the Year or Benedict garden performance award appears in the AHS sources we checked.
Limits and unknowns
The registry entry is short: no habit, growth rate, leaf texture or bloom color beyond "white", and no AHS source we checked covers how it handles sun or slugs. For general planting and slug control, see our hosta care guide.
Sources
Profile written and checked against the sources above on .
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 18 in (45.7 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 36 in (91.4 cm) |
| Leaf length | 12 in (30.5 cm) |
| Leaf width | 10 in (25.4 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 12 |
| Flower scape height | 30 in (76.2 cm) |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
Registered cultivars that list Hosta ‘Frances Williams’ as a parent:
- H. ‘Galaxy’ (seedling (pollen parent))
- H. ‘Helen Doriot’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Aurora Borealis’ (sport)
- H. ‘Blue Bayou’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Blue Lace’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Blue Saucers’ (seedling (pollen parent))
- H. ‘Blue Steel’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Bold Edger’ (seedling (pollen parent))
- H. ‘Breeder's Choice’ (seedling (pollen parent))
- H. ‘Broadway Frances’ (sport)
- H. ‘Columbus Circle’ (sport)
- H. ‘Connie’ (seedling (pollen parent))
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (I-5b, giant size):
- H. ‘David A. Haskell’ (1999)
- H. ‘Liberty’ (2000)
- H. ‘Aurora Borealis’ (1986)
- H. ‘Sum Total’ (1991)
- H. ‘Yellow River’ (1993)
- H. ‘Leading Lady’ (1995)
Related guides
Looking for ‘Frances Williams’ on Amazon
Third-party sellers list this cultivar on Amazon. We have not bought these plants and cannot confirm that what arrives is true to name, so compare the listing photos with the description on this page and check the seller, plant size (bare root, quart or gallon) and shipping season before buying.
Search Amazon for ‘Frances Williams’ · What to expect from hostas sold on Amazon
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Registration data: AHS Registry #1916. How we check this data.