H. ‘Night Shift’

Overview

'Night Shift' is a sport of 'Daybreak', registered by D. Savory in 1991. It turns the plain leaf of the parent into a deep yellow center with a dark green margin. The registration gives violet tubular flowers from a clump grown in Minnesota.

In the Garden

The registry gives 36 in across by 22 in high, a 12 in by 8 in leaf with 13 veins, and a 28 in scape. These are exactly the figures in the 'Daybreak' record. Identical figures suggest the parent's data may have been carried over rather than the sport measured on its own; the record does not say which, so treat these sizes with caution.

How it compares

'Daybreak' itself has a plain leaf with no margin: bright yellow green and shiny, with blue flowers on record.

'Stained Glass' is a golden yellow with a dark green edge, a sport of 'Guacamole'. Its clump is registered at 15 in high and 32 in across, its leaf is 10.5 in by 7 in and the margin is 2 in wide. It is registered as fast-growing. It was Hosta of the Year in 2006 and has Benedict results: an Honorable Mention in 2024 and an Award of Merit in 2025. The record of 'Night Shift' gives no margin width, so the two cannot be compared on that point.

Flowers and other notes

The registry entry gives no margin width, growth rate or bloom time, so the violet flowers are the only cultural detail on file. For the basics, see how to grow hostas.

Sources: AHS Registry records for 'Night Shift' (#4025), 'Daybreak' (#1381) and 'Stained Glass' (#5350), hostaregistrar.org; AHS Hosta of the Year booklet, 3rd edition; AHS Benedict Garden Performance Awards by year (2026).