The American Hosta Society has adopted the following requirement for miniature hostas:
> Leaf blade area must be less than 6.0 square inches (38.7 sq cm).
There is no restriction on clump spread.
The following list aims to be as inclusive as possible, presenting all unregistered plants which may qualify as miniature hostas by field measurements according to the above criteria.
For the convenience of on-line viewing, this list is broken down into two sections: Registered Miniature Hostas and Unregistered Miniature Hostas.
AHS Miniature-leaved |
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| Hosta Name | Originator | Leaf Size (length x width) 3 | |
| 'Asahi Star' | Japan | ||
| 'Atom Smasher' | R. Livingston | 5.0 x 0.8 in. | 12.7 x 1.9 cm 5 |
| 'Atomic Needle' | R. Livingston | ||
| 'Baby Sunspot' | D. Herzog | ||
| 'Beauty Little Blue' | J. van den Top | ||
| 'Beauty Little Blue Streaked' | J. van den Top | ||
| 'Bedspread' | Japan | ||
| 'Blauwichtel' | F. Köhlein | ||
| 'Cat Scratch Fever' | M. Zilis | ||
| 'Cat's Eye' | Japan/ Dan Heims | 2.0 x 1.0 in. | 5.1 x 2.5 cm 5 |
| 'Chabo Unazuki' | Japan | ||
| 'Cheesecake' | P. Aden | 3.3 x 1.8 in. | 8.3 x 4.4 cm 5 |
| 'Cherry Garcia' | R. Herold | 1.8 x 0.9 in. | 4.4 x 2.2 cm 5 |
| 'Chickie Dix' | S. Schulte | ||
| 'Chishima Iwa' | Japan | 4.0 x 1.5 in. | 10.2 x 3.8 cm 5 , 6 |
| 'Crater's Heart' | Japan | ||
| 'Crater's Rim' | Japan | ||
| 'Crepe Soul' | Naylor Creek Nursery | 4.0 x 1.0 in. | 10.2 x 2.5 cm 4 |
| "Curley" (see venusta "Curley") | |||
| 'Dancing Mouse' | M. Fransen | ||
| 'Early Sunrise' | Japan | ||
| 'Earth Star' | B. Janssen | ||
| 'Elfin Charm' | |||
| 'Elizabeth' | D. Heinz | 4.0 x 0.9 in. | 10.2 x 2.2 cm 5 |
| 'Ellie's Pigmy' | E. Spingarn | ||
| 'Fairest Maiden' | J. Schwarz | ||
| 'Fairy Ring' | R. Benedict | ||
| 'Fiddle-e-dee' | D. Herzog | ||
| 'Fireball' | A. Malloy | ||
| 'Fuji Sunrise' | Japan? | 2.5 x ? in. | 6.4 x ? cm 7 |
| 'Fukurin Hosoba Mizu' | Japan | ||
| 'Fukurin Tsugaru Komachi' | Japan | ||
| 'Funny Mouse' | M. Fransen | ||
| 'Ghost Dancer' | V. Wade | 3.5 x 1.3 in. | 8.9 x 3.2cm 5 |
| 'Ginger' | |||
| 'Gold Petite' | |||
| 'Golden Child' | |||
| 'Goodman's Short Folks' | |||
| 'Gosan Golden Dwarf' | W. Schmid | 3.5 x 1.0 in. | 8.9 x 2.5 cm 5 |
| 'Grass' | G. Goodwin | ||
| 'Hacksaw' | R. Livingston | ||
| 'Half Pint' | R. Benedict | ||
| 'Harold's Thumb' | |||
| 'Hime Yakushima' | |||
| 'Himekomachi' | T. Ichie | ||
| 'Hydon Sunrise' | R. Benedict | 1.5 x 1.0 in. | 3.8 x 2.5 cm 8 |
| 'Iszat U Emmerson' | R. Benedict | ||
| 'Japangirl' | F. Köhlein | ||
| 'Jimmy' | V. Wade | 3.5 x 1.5 in. | 8.9 x 3.8 cm |
| 'Judy Blue Eyes' | Bridgewood Gardens | 3.0 x 1.5 in. | 7.6 x 3.8 cm |
| 'Kifukurin Otome' | Japan | ||
| 'Kii Hime' | Japan | 2.0 x 1.0 in. | 5.1 x 2.5 cm 5 |
| 'Kinakafu Nagaba Mizu' | Japan | ||
| 'Kitty Cat' | V. Wade & W. Zumbar | 2.3 x 1.3 in. | 5.7 x 3.2 cm 5 |
| 'Kiwi Golden Thimble' | B. Sligh | 2.8 x 1.3 in. | 7.0 x 3.2 cm 5 |
| 'Ko Iwa' | |||
| 'Kyokkō' | Japan | ||
| 'Lakeside Misty' | M. Chastain | 1.6 x 1.5 in. | 4.1 x 3.8 cm |
| 'Lakeside So Ho Baby' | M. Chastain | ||
| 'Lakeside Wing Ding' | M. Chastain | 3.0 x 1.0 in. | 7.6 x 2.5 cm 5 |
| 'Lakeside Zing Zang' | M. Chastain | ||
| 'Lakeside Zinger Supreme' | M. Chastain | ||
| 'Lavender Dwarf' | Honey Hill Hostas | ||
| 'Little Devil' | H. Gowen | ||
| 'Little Jack Horner' | R. Benedict | ||
| 'Lil Miss Muffet' | D. Beilstein & A. Malloy | ||
| 'Little Miss Muffet' | W. Zumbar | ||
| 'Little One' | M. Zilis | ||
| 'Little Pan' | U. Fischer | 2.8 x 2.3 in. | 7.0 x 5.7 cm |
| 'Little Stiffy' | R. Benedict | ||
| 'Long Beard' | 4.0 x 1.4 in. | 10.2 x 3.5 cm5 | |
| 'Loyal Vassal' | B. Zumbar | ||
| 'Mandrake the Magician' | A. Malloy | ||
| 'Manzo' | Japan | 4.0 x 1.0 in. | 10.2 x 2.5 cm 5 |
| 'Maurice Mason' | M. Mason | ||
| 'Microchip' | R. Benedict | ||
| 'Mini Face' | J. Anderson | ||
| 'Mini Man' | J. Anderson | ||
| 'Minima' | Japan/Gowen/Benedict | ||
| minor "Goldbrook Form" | S. Bond | 3.4 x 1.5 in. | 8.6 x 3.8 cm |
| 'Minuta' | Japan | ||
| 'Miss Petite' | P. Aden | ||
| 'Moegi Fukurin Otome' | Japan | 3.1 x 1.8 in. | 7.9 x 4.4 cm |
| 'Mountain Fog' | Japan | 3.5 x 1.4 in. | 8.9 x 3.5 cm 5 |
| 'Mouse Trap' | A. Wrede | ||
| 'Mrs. Beasley' | J. Schwarz | ||
| 'Munchkin Madness' | V. Wade | 4.0 x 1.6 in. | 10.2 x 4.1 cm 5 |
| 'National Arboretum' | |||
| 'Nike' | R. Herold | 2.3 x 0.7 in. | 5.7 x 1.7 cm5 |
| 'Nikkō' | Japan | ||
| 'Nishikagawa' | Y. Hirose | ||
| 'Og, Son of Fire' | D. Beilstein & A. Malloy | ||
| 'Ogon Otome' | Japan | ||
| 'Oh Baby Mine' | |||
| 'One Iota' | J. Anderson | ||
| 'One Iota Supreme' | J. Schwarz | ||
| 'Orphan Annie' | Japan | 2.0 x 1.0 in. | 5.1 x 2.5 cm 4 |
| 'Osiris Petit Prince' | Les Jardins Osiris | ||
| 'Otome-no-mai' | K. Tanaka | ||
| 'Oze' | Japan | 2.5 x 1.6 in. | 6.4 x 4.1 cm 5 |
| 'Papoose' | R. Benedict | ||
| 'Paradise Puppet' | M. Fransen | ||
| 'Paradise Sunset' | M. Fransen | 2.5 x 1.5 in. | 6.4 x 3.8 cm 4 |
| 'Piedmont's Gold Miniature' | D. Stone | 3.0 x 1.5 in. | 7.6 x 3.8 cm 5 |
| 'Pointed Leaf' | R. Benedict | ||
| 'Porter' | Walden West | ||
| 'Quill' | R. Herold | 4.5 x 1.3 in. | 11.4 x 3.2 cm 5 |
| 'Red Dwarf' | D. Grenfell | ||
| 'Red Tubes' | Japan | ||
| 'Rosedale Lightning' | J. Hadrava | 3.4 x 1.5 in. | 8.6 x 3.8 cm 5 |
| 'Rosedale Tick Tock' | |||
| 'Rushin Ruffles' | 3.0 x 1.0 in. | 7.7 x 2.5 cm5 | |
| 'Saishu Jima Gold' | Japan/Soules | 3.5 1.0 in. | 8.9 x 2.5 cm 5 |
| 'Saishu Jima Variegated' | P. Aden | ||
| 'Schrödinger's Cat' | |||
| 'Shirobana Fuiri Koba' | |||
| 'Shirobana Hime Iwa' | |||
| 'Shirofukurin Hosoba Mizu' | Japan | ||
| 'Shirofukurin Koba' | Japan | ||
| 'Shirofukurin Otome' | |||
| 'Shironakafu Otome' | |||
| 'Short Folks' (see 'Goodman's Short Folks') | |||
| 'Silver Heart' | 3.0 x 1.0 in. | 7.6 x 2.5 cm 5 | |
| 'Silver Spring' | A. Malloy | ||
| 'Silver Twist' | |||
| 'Sizzle' | J. King | ||
| 'Snow Drop' | 4.5 x 1.3 in. | 11.4 x 3.3 cm 5 | |
| 'Snow Mouse' | M. Fransen | N/A | |
| 'Stormy Dance' | F. Smith | N/A | |
| 'Suzuki Toenail' | |||
| 'Tattle Tails' | M. Fransen | ||
| 'Ted's Friend' | Ch. Tompkins | ||
| 'Teddy Bear' | C. Falstad | 2.3 x 1.6 in. | 5.7 x 4.1 cm 5 |
| 'Tiny Dancer' | R. Benedict | ||
| 'Tiny Temple Chimes' | Japan | ||
| 'Tiny Tot' | |||
| 'Tom Thumb' | M. Fransen | ||
| 'Tsugaru Komachi' | Gotemba Nursery | ||
| 'Tsugaru Otome' | Japan | ||
| 'Uzu-no-mai Fukurin' | Japan | ||
| 'Valley's Liquid Green' | J. Linneman | ||
| 'Valley's Small Skipper' | J. Linneman | ||
| venusta "Benedict Strain" | Japan | ||
| venusta "Curley" | |||
| venusta "Maekawa Form" | 2.5 x 1.8 in. | 6.4 x 4.4 cm 8 | |
| venusta "Mini" | |||
| venusta "Onoda" | Japan | ||
| venusta "Shikoku" | Japan | ||
| 'Wanda Dove' | F. Nyikos | 3.3 x 1.1 in. | 8.3 x 2.9 cm5 |
| 'Xanadu Mighty Mite' | V. & B. Skaggs | ||
| 'Yakushima' | Japan | ||
| 'Yakushima Mizu' | Japan | 3.0 x 1.0 in. | 7.6 x 2.5 cm 5 |
| 'Yellow Kid' | A. Malloy | ||
| 'Yellow Submarine' | R. O'Harra | 4.0 x 1.5 in. | 10.2 x 3.8 cm 5 |
| 'Zoomie' | W. Zumbar | 2.8 x 1.1 in. | 7.0 x 2.9 cm5 |
1 Compiled and revised by Donald A. Rawson on 2/10/13. According to the AHS Judges Handbook, Section X: Miniature-leaved Unregistered Sports and Seedlings have a leaf size of <6.0 sq. in. (38.7 sq. cm.).
2 Many hostas do not have dimensions listed because their leaf lengths and widths are not reliably reported in the literature. Even so, their leaf blade areas are believed to be <6.0 sq. in. As reliable dimensions become available, they will be listed.
3 Leaf size, rounded to the nearest 0.1 inch (or the nearest 0.1 cm).
4 Diana Grenfell and Michael Shadrack, The New Encyclopedia of Hostas (Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2009).
5 Mark R. Zilis, The Hostapedia: An Encyclopedia of Hostas (Rochelle, IL: Q & Z Nursery, Inc., 2009).
6 May exceed AHS size criteria of <6.0 sq. in. for miniature-leaved hostas.
7 Hugo Philips, MyHostas Database
8 Van Wade, 2002 American Hosta Guide (Bellville, OH: Wade & Gatton Nurseries, 2002).
In an effort to keep this list accurate and up-to-date, please email all corrections and additions to