Perennial HERB with thickened roots from a short rhizome. INFLORESCENCE to 90 cm, floral bracts purplish-grey. LEAVES lanceolate to ovate, to 30 cm long, 20 cm wide, sometimes undulate or puckered, leaf stalks not spotted, apex tapering, base rounded, 7-13 vein pairs, mid to dark green, margins white, waxy blue beneath. FLOWERS pale violet or reddish; anthers bluish; summer.

Japan, probably of garden or hybrid origin involving H. seiboldiana.

var. albopicta (Miq.) Hylander Inflorescence not exceeding leaves. Leaves 17-20 cm long, 10-12 cm wide, narrow ovate, apex tapering, 7-9 vein pairs, leaves smooth, leathery, emerging pale yellow or cream with darker green irregular margins and cross veins, the leaf turning fully green with a darker margin with age.

var. albopicta (Miq.) Hylander f. aurea Wehrh. Similar to var. albopicta but leaves 19-26 cm long, 12-18 cm wide with longer leaf stalks, leaves membranous, puckered, waxy blue below, lacking a darker margin.

var. obscura Hylander f. marginata Hylander Inflorescence much exceeding leaves. Leaves 20-23 cm long, 14-17 cm wide, broadly ovate, apex abrupt, 8 vein pairs, leaves smooth, leathery, dark green with irregular gold margins [H. fortunei (Bak.) Bailey 'Aureomarginata'].

H. fluctuans Maek., Kuro-nami-gibo-shi, from Japan is a perennial herb with thickened roots from a short rhizome. Inflorescence to 1 m, floral bracts narrow, grey-green. Leaves ovate, to 25 cm long, 10 cm wide, twisting, undulate, leaf stalks not spotted, apex tapering, twisted, base rounded, 7-9 vein pairs, waxy blue and olive green above, greyish beneath. Flowers pale violet; summer. 'Variegated' has large leaves with a wide creamy-gold margin.

H. tokudama Maek.,Tokudama-gibo-shi, from Japan, of probable garden origin.A perennial herb with thickened roots from a short rhizome. Inflorescence to 35 cm, floral bracts purplish. Leaves broadly ovate to circular, to 20 cm long, 15 cm wide, leaf stalks long, channelled, waxy blue, leaf apex acuminate, base rounded, stiff, leathery, puckered, 10-12 vein pairs, waxy blue-green. Flowers pale purple, anthers yellow; autumn. A possible hybrid from H. seiboldiana var. elegans.

Source: Conran, J. (2005). Hostaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.