The Indianapolis Hosta Society Founding History

Founding was initiated in the mid ‘70’s with the late Marge Soules,
Soules Gardens owner on the Indianapolis south side, attending one
of the first national Hosta Conventions. She volunteered to hold an
upcoming convention in Indianapolis. Marge asked seven of her
customers to attend a founders meeting at Clyde Crockett’s home in
hopes of creating a local society and produce that convention. From
that meeting, a board and society were formed. Four conventions
later, the local has developed into one of the more active local US
societies with extensive programs and events.

History of The American Hosta Society

The American Hosta Society was founded in 1968 in association with Landscape Arboretum of the University of Minnesota. AHS also had their first convention and newsletter that year with 135 members. The first Hosta journal was published in 1969.

By the 1970s, the International Society for Horticultural Science, appointed the University of Minnesota along with AHS as The International Registration Authority (IRA) for the genus Hosta.

There are now nearly 3000 members in AHS.

History of The Genus Hosta

Hostas are native to China, Japan, and Korea. Hostas were introduced into Europe in the 1800s. The Genus was named in honor of Botanist Nicholas Thomas Host.

By the 1970s, hostas had become an interest in American gardens. Their popularity surged in the 1980s and by the 1990s, they were the top selling herbaceous perennial in the gardening world.

Excerpts from Indianapolis Hosta Society History