H. ‘Lightning Flash’
Hosta ‘Lightning Flash’ is a registered cultivar () .
| Year registered | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Section class | IV-7 (Small) |
Overview
Registered in 2013, *Hosta* 'Lightning Flash' is a small-sized cultivar derived from the cross (*H.* 'Color Fantasy' × *H.* 'Alabama Gold') × *H.* 'Venetian Blue'. It is visually distinctive for its narrow, lance-shaped leaves that display a glaucous blue-green center irregularly streaked and flashed with creamy white, set off by flat, creamy white margins.
In the Garden
Reaching a mature mound 9 inches (23 cm) tall and 16 inches (41 cm) wide, 'Lightning Flash' is well-suited to the front of a shaded border or a rock garden. Its small stature and compact habit also make it an excellent candidate for container culture. For best leaf coloration and to maintain the glaucous bloom, plant in partial to full shade; companion it with fine-textured ferns or small sedges.
Care Notes
Provide consistent moisture, especially during dry periods, and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Like many thin-leaved hostas, it may be susceptible to slug and deer damage; monitor and manage as needed in typical hosta-growing zones.
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 9 in (22.9 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 16 in (40.6 cm) |
| Leaf length | 6 in (15.2 cm) |
| Leaf width | 2 in (5.1 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 7 |
| Leaf | streaked medium blue-green and creamy white flat margins; glaucous bloom on top; glaucous bloom underneath; lightly wavy, flat |
| Flower scape height | 26 in (66.0 cm) |
| Notable characteristics | glaucous blue green streaked with cream flashes or streaks has narrow long leaves |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
- Pod parent: (H. 'Color Fantasy' x H. 'Alabama Gold) — H. ‘Color Fantasy’
- Pollen parent: H. 'Venetian Blue' — H. ‘Venetian Blue’
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (IV-7, small size):
- H. ‘Lodikito’ (2013)
- H. ‘Ray of Hope’ (2005)
- H. ‘Stars and Stripes’ (2000)
- H. ‘Jungle Fever’ (2013)
- H. ‘Mighty Special’ (2013)
- H. ‘Oil Paint’ (2013)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #3386