H. ‘Sagae’
Hosta ‘Sagae’ is a registered cultivar () , originated by E. Hagiwara.
| Year registered | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Originator | E. Hagiwara |
| Registrant | K. Watanabe/AHS |
| Section class | II-5b (Large) |
Last checked against the AHS registry:
What it looks like
'Sagae' is a big, upright hosta. The AHS registry describes the leaf as dull yellow-green with a bright pale yellow, irregularly rippled margin and a glaucous (powdery) green underside. The Hosta of the Year booklet adds that the margins start gold and change to creamy yellow or white by mid-summer, so a spring photo and an August photo of the same plant can look different. Flowers are listed as whitish in the registry and pale lavender in the booklet.
Registered size vs. grown size
| Source | Height | Width | Leaf (L × W) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AHS Registry record (1987) | 20 in (51 cm) | 26 in (66 cm) | 12.5 × 9.5 in (32 × 24 cm) |
| AHS Hosta of the Year booklet | 31 in (79 cm) | 70 in (178 cm) | — |
The registry figures are what the registrant submitted; the booklet gives a mature clump and calls it "Giant". Neither source says how many years the plant needs to get there.
Where it fits
The booklet gives a grown width of up to 70 in and describes the habit as "Upright".
How it compares
- 'Liberty' is a sport of 'Sagae'. Its registry record gives a 2.5 in golden yellow margin (the 'Sagae' record gives no margin width), and the booklet gives it a grown width of 63 in.
- 'Krossa Regal' has the same upright habit but plain blue-gray leaves and taller flower stems (72 in registered, against 34 in for 'Sagae').
- 'Sum and Substance' is a comparable giant but solid chartreuse to gold, and the booklet gives its habit as mounding rather than upright. Pick it if a single bright color matters more than an upright shape; 'Sagae' has the edged leaf and the upright habit.
Parentage and awards
The registry lists parentage as unknown; the booklet calls it a sport of H. fluctuans. The two AHS sources disagree, and we have not found a primary record that settles it. Originated by E. Hagiwara, registered by K. Watanabe/AHS.
- AHGA Hosta of the Year 2000 (booklet; registry comments).
- Benedict Medal for Garden Performance 2010; Award of Merit 2008 (AHS Benedict list).
- Listed in every published AHS Popularity Poll from 2001 to 2024.
Limits and unknowns
The booklet notes "good slug resistance"; we have not seen a trial that measures it. Sun tolerance is not stated in either source. The registry size (20 × 26 in) and the booklet size (31 × 70 in) differ widely, and nursery labels may quote either. For planting and care see our hosta care guide.
Sources
Profile written and checked against the sources above on .
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 20 in (50.8 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 26 in (66 cm) |
| Leaf length | 12.5 in (31.8 cm) |
| Leaf width | 9.5 in (24.1 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 12 |
| Leaf | dull yellow green bright pale yellow, irregular undulations margins; glaucous green underneath |
| Flower scape height | 34 in (86.4 cm) |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
Registered cultivars that list Hosta ‘Sagae’ as a parent:
- H. ‘Yellow Flash’ (sport)
- H. ‘Ballroom Bubbles’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Big Zach’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Blue Hawaii’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Champ’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Crescendo’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Dark Tower’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Donna’ (seedling (pollen parent))
- H. ‘Double Eagle’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Dr Topper Hagerman’ (seedling (pollen parent))
- H. ‘Fat Cat’ (seedling (pod parent))
- H. ‘Gitchigumi’ (seedling (pod parent))
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (II-5b, large size):
- H. ‘Yellow Flash’ (1997)
- H. ‘Andy Murray’ (2013)
- H. ‘Connie’ (1987)
- H. ‘El Capitan’ (1987)
- H. ‘Zager's Pride’ (1987)
- H. ‘Bill Brincka’ (1988)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #4906. How we check this data.