Hosta Halcyon ... AHS Hosta of the Year 2026
- John Plant
- Jan 30
- 2 min read
As we covered in last week's blog The American Hosta Society has changed the basis for the ongoing Hosta of the year awards, which means we are aware of Hostas of the Year in advance. One for this year 2026 as well as 2027. Let’s look at 2026 first and then in next weeks blog look at the 2027 winner.
If you missed last week blog here is the link to our blog archive https://www.rewelahostas.com/blog
So, the Hosta of the Year Award 2026, has been awarded to Hosta Halcyon.
Hosta Halcyon is part of the ‘Tardiana’ group, and was first registered in 1961, by Eric Smith, and noted by BHHS in 1988.
Eric Smith (1917-1986) was a plantsman and hosta hybridiser from Dorset. In 1961, he took advantage Hosta sieboldiana Elegans flowered unusually late in the season so he could use its pollen to fertilise the flowers of an Hosta 'Tardiflora' . The untimely original cross created a whole series of smaller, very colourful blue-green plants called the "Tardiana" group.
Eric did not register any of the 34 Tardiana Hostas but Paul Aden, Alex Summers, Peter Ruh, and the British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society did so starting in the 1970s. In addition to the word Blue, many of the cultivars start with the words, Dorset or Hadspen. In 1982, Eric Smith was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Membership in The American Hosta Society.
Hosta Halcyon is known as one of the best blue-leaved medium sized Hostas on the market. It is a very neat deep, chalky blue foliage last well in the autumn. It is a vigorous grower and very reliable. Slug resistant and sun tolerant.
Although vigorous once established, it can be a little slow in the early years, but once it gets going it establishes well, developing into a 30cm to 40cm tall clump of about 90cm width at maturity.
Wonderful pale lavender flowers are held aloft on blue/green scapes, during July & August, of about 70cm in height. A wonderful contrast between the pale lavender flowers and the rich blue/green foliage.
Hosta Halcyon has received recognition from the American Hosta Society with the Distinguished Merit Hosta award 2024, and from the Royal Horticultural Society with the Award of Garden Merit and was the first Hosta to be awarded the new American Hosta Society ….Hosta of the Year 2026.
A worthy winner, even though it has been around for a while. It should be in every-ones
Hosta collection as a good stable blue Hosta. This is one that you shouldn’t be without.
Often used to produce new sports such as Dinner Jacket, Bulletproof, Canadian Blue, Catherine, Great Escape, First Frost, June, Teacher’s Pride and many more. Some wonderful Hosta varieties, in their own right maybe future winner?
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John Plant
Rewela Hostas
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