H. ‘Leo’
Hosta ‘Leo’ is a registered cultivar () .
| Year registered | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Section class | I-3 (Giant) |
Last checked against the AHS registry:
Overview
J. Husemann raised and registered 'Leo' in 2009. It is a seedling of 'On Stage' (pod parent) with an open-pollinated pollen parent. The leaf is golden yellow, 15 in by 12 in, and very shiny underneath. The registrant describes the color as glowing all season, while the seasonal color note says the leaf gets paler in mid-summer. The flowers are described as more blue than lavender and surrounded by white. The clump was grown in Asbury, Iowa.
In the Garden
The registered clump is a mound 45 in across and 25 in high. The scapes are registered at 36 to 46 in. Because the leaf pales in summer, its color is strongest early in the season.
How it compares
'On Stage' is the pod parent and a sport of H. montana, also known as 'Chōkō Nishiki'. It is a variegated plant registered at 14 in high and 24 in across; 'Leo' is registered much larger and has a solid gold leaf.
'Sum and Substance' is another large gold, registered at 36 in high and 60 in across, with an 18 in by 15 in leaf and scapes of 72 in. It was Hosta of the Year for 2004 and won the Benedict award in 2015.
'Rosedale Bright and Sassy' is another golden yellow. It is registered as upright, 30 in high and 48 in across, with a smaller leaf of 11 in by 9 in. Its leaf is recorded as dull on both sides, while 'Leo' is recorded as very shiny underneath.
Flowers and other notes
The registration notes that the gold gets paler in mid-summer but does not say how much that depends on light. For the rest, see how to grow hostas.
Sources: AHS Registry records for 'Leo' (#3360), 'On Stage' (#4142), 'Sum and Substance' (#5458) and 'Rosedale Bright and Sassy' (#4753), hostaregistrar.org; AHS Hosta of the Year booklet, 3rd edition; AHS Benedict Garden Performance Awards by year (2026).
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 25 in (63.5 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 45 in (114.3 cm) |
| Leaf length | 15 in (38.1 cm) |
| Leaf width | 12 in (30.5 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 15 |
| Leaf | golden yellow flat margins; slightly shiny on top; very shiny underneath; moderately twisted, moderately wavy |
| Flower scape height | 36–46 in (91.4–116.8 cm) |
| Seasonal colour change | paler in mid-summer |
| Notable characteristics | impressive size, flowing habit, glowing color all season, flowers more blue than lavender, surrounded by white |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
- Pod parent: H. 'On Stage' — H. ‘On Stage’
- Pollen parent: open pollinated
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (I-3, giant size):
- H. ‘Sum and Substance’ (1980)
- H. ‘Dune Boy’ (2009)
- H. ‘El Dorado’ (2009)
- H. ‘Franc's Trailer Jon’ (2009)
- H. ‘Mama Bear’ (2009)
- H. ‘Prairie Sum Shine’ (2009)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #3360. How we check this data.