H. ‘Whirlwind Flame’
Hosta ‘Whirlwind Flame’ is a registered cultivar () .
| Year registered | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Section class | IV-6a (Small) |
Last checked against the AHS registry:
Overview
'Whirlwind Flame' was registered in 2014 as a sport of 'Whirlwind Tour'. The leaf is 6 in by 4 in, pure white in the center with a dark green margin 0.5 in wide, and the registry calls it intensely twisted. The registration lists pale lavender, striped tubular flowers from a clump in South Hampton, New Hampshire.
In the Garden
The registry gives a clump 20 in across and 12 in high and a slow growth rate.
How it compares
'Fire and Ice', a sport of 'Patriot', has the same 6 in by 4 in leaf size and a pure white center. Its dark green margin is wider at 1 in, and the leaf is not described as twisted. The registry gives no clump size for it beyond "upright".
'Bullfrog', a sport of 'Krossa Regal', is the other twisted white-centered plant. It is registered as upright, 13 in high and 20 in across, with a slow growth rate. Its creamy white leaf of 7 in by 3 in has a 1 in margin and dark green streaks in the center. It is recorded as moderately twisted. Pick it if an upright habit matters more than a clean white center; 'Whirlwind Flame' has the pure white center and the intensely twisted leaf.
'Whirlwind' (1989), a different and older plant despite the similar name, is a mound registered at 40 in across and 19 in high with a fast growth rate, with a white center veined in green and a much wider dark margin of 1.5 to 2.5 in. It won the Benedict award in 2007.
Flowers and other notes
Green scapes are registered at 18 to 24 in, against a clump height of 12 in. The record does not say whether the white center holds through the season, and seed set is listed as unknown. For general culture, see our hosta care guide.
Sources: AHS Registry records for 'Whirlwind Flame' (#6087), 'Fire and Ice' (#1764), 'Bullfrog' (#852) and 'Whirlwind' (#6086), hostaregistrar.org; AHS Benedict Garden Performance Awards by year (2026).
Size and leaf
| Clump height | 12 in (30.5 cm) |
|---|---|
| Clump width | 20 in (50.8 cm) |
| Leaf length | 6 in (15.2 cm) |
| Leaf width | 4 in (10.2 cm) |
| Vein pairs | 8 |
| Leaf | pure white with .5in (1.3cm) wide, dark green, slightly rippled margins; slightly shiny on top; dull underneath; intensely twisted |
| Flower scape height | 18–24 in (45.7–61.0 cm) |
| Notable characteristics | thick twisted white centered leaves |
From the American Hosta Society Registry record.
Parentage
- Sport parent: Sport of H. 'Whirlwind Tour'
Similar cultivars
Other registered hostas in the same AHS section class (IV-6a, small size):
- H. ‘Bullfrog’ (2016)
- H. ‘Sting’ (2011)
- H. ‘Firestorm’ (2007)
- H. ‘Rainbow's End’ (2005)
- H. ‘June Fever’ (2004)
- H. ‘Fire and Ice’ (1999)
Related guides
Registration data: AHS Registry #6087. How we check this data.