Hosta of the Year: Complete List 1996–2027
Hosta of the Year — complete list 1996–2027
Two different programs share the name:
- 1996–2025 — AHGA Hosta of the Year. The American Hosta Growers Association picked one cultivar a year by member vote. Its criteria were good garden performance across the country, wide availability in sufficient supply and a typical retail price at the time of selection; the AHS booklet notes the program was “primarily for marketing purposes”. The AHGA ended it in 2025.
- 2026 onward — AHS Hosta of the Year. The American Hosta Society continued the title with new rules: the winner is taken from the Benedict Garden Performance Award, so it points to proven garden performance rather than to what growers have in stock. The first two AHS picks are ‘Halcyon’ (2026) and ‘Clear Fork River Valley’ (2027).
Color, size and parentage below are as listed in the AHS booklet. The size is the grown clump height × width the booklet gives; it is usually larger than the measurement in the original registration, which is often taken from a younger plant. The “Registered” column links to the AHS Registry record.
| Year | Cultivar | Color | Size (height × width) | Parentage | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | ‘Clear Fork River Valley’ | Deep blue-green | Large, 30 × 54 in (76 × 137 cm) | ‘Puckered Giant’ × ‘Woodland Blue’ | 2007 |
| 2026 | ‘Halcyon’ | Blue | Medium, 24 × 47 in (61 × 119 cm) | Tardiana Group (‘Tardiflora’ × H. sieboldiana var. elegans) | 1988 |
| 2025 | ‘Skywriter’ | Blue | Medium, 17 × 46 in (43 × 117 cm) | ‘Marilyn Monroe’ × (‘Neptune’ × ‘Smoke Signals’) | — |
| 2024 | ‘Mini Skirt’ | Variegated | Mini, 7 × 14 in (18 × 36 cm) | sport of ‘Mighty Mouse’ | 2013 |
| 2023 | ‘Neptune’ | Blue-green | Medium, 24 × 47 in (61 × 119 cm) | (‘Maekawa’ × ‘Halcyon’) × ‘Salute’ | 2006 |
| 2022 | ‘Island Breeze’ | Medio-variegated | Small, 12 × 28 in (30 × 71 cm) | tissue-culture sport of ‘Fire Island’ | 2014 |
| 2021 | ‘Rainbow’s End’ | Medio-variegated | Small, 11 × 21 in (28 × 53 cm) | sport of ‘Obsession’ | 2005 |
| 2020 | ‘Dancing Queen’ | Gold | Medium, 18 × 30 in (46 × 76 cm) | ‘Split Personality’ seedling | 2005 |
| 2019 | ‘Lakeside Paisley Print’ | Medio-variegated | Small, 10 × 30 in (25 × 76 cm) | seedling × seedling | 2006 |
| 2018 | ‘World Cup’ | Gold | Large, 23 × 43 in (58 × 109 cm) | ‘Komodo Dragon’ × ‘Super Bowl’ | 2006 |
| 2017 | ‘Brother Stefan’ | Medio-variegated | Medium, 22 × 36 in (56 × 91 cm) | ‘King Tut’ × ‘Mildred Seaver’ seedling | 1998 |
| 2016 | ‘Curly Fries’ | Gold | Small, 11 × 20 in (28 × 51 cm) | ‘Pineapple Upsidedown Cake’ × unknown | 2008 |
| 2015 | ‘Victory’ | Marginally variegated | Giant, 30 × 70 in (76 × 178 cm) | sport of ‘Elatior’ | 2003 |
| 2014 | ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’ | Blue | Medium, 22 × 46 in (56 × 117 cm) | ‘Tokudama’ × H. sieboldiana | 1989 |
| 2013 | ‘Rainforest Sunrise’ | Medio-variegated | Small, 10 × 25 in (25 × 64 cm) | sport of ‘Maui Buttercups’ | 2003 |
| 2012 | ‘Liberty’ | Marginally variegated | Large, 26 × 63 in (66 × 160 cm) | sport of ‘Sagae’ | 2000 |
| 2011 | ‘Praying Hands’ | Marginally variegated | Medium, 16 × 30 in (41 × 76 cm) | unknown | 1996 |
| 2010 | ‘First Frost’ | Marginally variegated | Medium, 15 × 36 in (38 × 91 cm) | tissue-culture sport of ‘Halcyon’ | 2002 |
| 2009 | ‘Earth Angel’ | Marginally variegated | Giant, 30 × 60 in (76 × 152 cm) | sport of ‘Blue Angel’ | 2002 |
| 2008 | ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ | Blue | Mini, 8 × 19 in (20 × 48 cm) | sport of ‘Blue Cadet’ | 2000 |
| 2007 | ‘Paradigm’ | Medio-variegated | Medium, 22 × 45 in (56 × 114 cm) | sport of ‘Abiqua Recluse’ | 1999 |
| 2006 | ‘Stained Glass’ | Medio-variegated | Medium, 15 × 32 in (38 × 81 cm) | sport of ‘Guacamole’ | 1999 |
| 2005 | ‘Striptease’ | Medio-variegated | Medium, 20 × 50 in (51 × 127 cm) | sport of ‘Gold Standard’ | 1991 |
| 2004 | ‘Sum and Substance’ | Gold | Giant, 31 × 70 in (79 × 178 cm) | unknown | 1980 |
| 2003 | ‘Regal Splendor’ | Marginally variegated | Giant, 30 × 70 in (76 × 178 cm) | sport of ‘Krossa Regal’ | 1987 |
| 2002 | ‘Guacamole’ | Medio-variegated | Large, 24 × 54 in (61 × 137 cm) | sport of ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ | 1994 |
| 2001 | ‘June’ | Medio-variegated | Medium, 16 × 37 in (41 × 94 cm) | sport of ‘Halcyon’ | 1991 |
| 2000 | ‘Sagae’ | Variegated | Giant, 31 × 70 in (79 × 178 cm) | listed as a sport of H. fluctuans (the AHS Registry record gives parentage unknown) | 1987 |
| 1999 | ‘Paul’s Glory’ | Medio-variegated | Medium, 22 × 55 in (56 × 140 cm) | sport of ‘Perry’s True Blue’ | 1987 |
| 1998 | ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ | Variegated | Medium, 22 × 48 in (56 × 122 cm) | ‘Fascination’ × ‘Fragrant Summer’ | 1982 |
| 1997 | ‘Patriot’ | Variegated | Medium, 22 × 50 in (56 × 127 cm) | sport of ‘Francee’ | 1991 |
| 1996 | ‘So Sweet’ | Variegated | Medium, 22 × 50 in (56 × 127 cm) | ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ × a seedling | 1986 |
Things worth knowing before you shop by this list
- Many winners are sports of each other. ‘June’ and ‘First Frost’ are sports of ‘Halcyon’; ‘Stained Glass’ is a sport of ‘Guacamole’, which is itself a sport of ‘Fragrant Bouquet’; ‘Liberty’ is a sport of ‘Sagae’; ‘Patriot’ is a sport of ‘Francee’. If you already grow the parent, the sport gives you the same plant habit with a different color pattern.
- Sizes vary a lot. The list runs from ‘Mini Skirt’ (7 × 14 in) to ‘Sum and Substance’, ‘Sagae’, ‘Victory’ and ‘Regal Splendor’ (30–31 × 70 in). Check the width before planting — a giant needs about six feet of room.
- Some dates differ between sources. The booklet gives ‘Sagae’ as Watanabe 1996 and ‘Halcyon’ as 1998; the AHS Registry records show registration in 1987 and 1988. We link the registry record so you can see both.
- The AHGA title was a marketing award. It tells you a cultivar was widely sold and grew well in many regions, not that it suits your garden. For light, size and color, read the cultivar profile.
Source: American Hosta Society, Hosta of the Year 1996–2027, 3rd edition (information from the American Hosta Growers Association and the American Hosta Society). Checked 2026-10-05.