Native to eastern Asia, hosta came to the United States in the 1800s. Hostas are prized in the shade garden for their large leaves in different shapes and colors of green, deep blue or creamy variegated. Plants are categorized by common characteristics (species) and cultivated varieties (cultivars). According to the American Hosta Society, there are hundreds of hosta species and thousands of cultivars. www.ehow.com/about_5391375_types-hostas.html#ixzz0qVivJKds In my own backyard Ohio