The History of hostas begins in Japan. Hosta is a known as giboshi in its country of origin but it is also sometimes spelt as giboushi in some regions. Hostas grow rampant and wild in Japan. Although the plant is also native to Korea and China it is in Japan that you will find the most varieties. Most hostas are descended from two smallish varieties that originate in Japan. One is Oba Giboshi, which describes hostas with ripple leaves and green centers. It is known as H. Montana in western cultures. The other is Ohatsuki Giboshi, which features green centers with cream-colored edges. This is the variegated version of hosta that most of us know as variegated hostas today.

Hostas have only really become popular in the last twenty years. However there were some landmark events in the plants history that are notable.

In the 1940s a nursery called Savory Garden that was run by Bob and Arlene Savory in Britain perfected the yellow gold varieties. These hybrids were more sun loving and included varieties like the bright yellow Lemon Lime and Golden Tiara.

In the early sixties a British gardener named Eric Smith managed to create a number of hybrids that resulted in the powdery blue shade loving hostas that people love to collect today. These hostas are known as the Tardania Hybrids.

Hosta fanatic Eunice Fisher first established the American Hosta Society, which now boasts over 350,000 members in 1969. Eunice Fisher is also responsible for publishing of the first hosta book for gardeners and collectors, Hosta: The Aristocratic Plant for Shady Garden in 1969. Two more editions of this seminal book on hostas were published 1973, 1979.