Collecting Mouse Hostas

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If you are into miniature hostas you will almost certainly already have H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’. This is a wonderful, inexpensive (£6.00 from us) hosta which looks like its name. The leaves are blue, shaped like a mouse’s ear and wonderfully thick – more than a match for any slug or snail.

H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ (pictured above) has been used to breed many other equally desirable ‘Mouse’ hostas, though, like most children (and grand-children), they are relatively expensive to keep! However, despite their price usually being at least double that of their parent they are amongst the most popular minis we sell. In fact, they are so desirable, collecting ‘Mice’ can become a compulsion. You have been warned!

A ‘Mouse’ Hosta is generally recognised as one that includes H ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ (BME) somewhere in its ancestry. H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, a sport of H. ‘Blue Cadet’, was the first of the ‘Mouse’ hostas, registered by Emile and Jane Deckert in 2000.

Since then, over 100 sports or hybrids have been introduced that claim to include H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ in their ancestry. Not all of these look like a ‘Mouse’ hosta (miniature or very small hosta, with thick rounded leaves). E.g. H. ‘Dancing out of Time, H. ‘Zora’. Some ‘Mouse’ hostas do not have a ‘Mouse’ name. H. Mini Skirt’ ‘One Iota, ‘Pure Heart’ and ‘You’re So Vein’ are examples. Other hostas have ‘Mouse’ names but do not have H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ in their ancestry, e.g. H. ‘Country Mouse’, ‘Mini Mouse’.  Apologies if you are now totally confused!

‘Mouse’ hostas have become very collectable, and it can be exciting building up a collection, but for the collector there are some frustrations. In 2024 there are likely to be around 30 ‘Mouse’ hostas available from UK hosta specialists. These include Blue Elf, Blue Mouse Ears, Church Mouse, Dancing Mouse, Danish Mouse, Desert Mouse, Fingernails, Flamenco Mouse, Frosted Mouse Ears, Funny Mouse, Giantland Mouse Cheese, Giantland Sunny Mouse Ears, Green Thumb, Holy Mouse Ears, Lucky Mouse, Magical Mouse Ears, Mighty Mouse, Mini Skirt, Mouse Capades, Mouse Madness, Mouse on the Moon, Mouse Trap, One Iota, Pierced Mouse Ears, Quarterback, Ruffled Mouse Ears, Ruffled Pole Mouse, Smiling Mouse, Sun Mouse, Surfing Mouse, Tiny Star, You’re So Vein.

Some ‘Mouse’ hostas are not available in the UK and may never be, unless they have been produced in commercial quantities through tissue culture, or unless the breeder has a European agent. Others may simply be available in the hybridiser’s own collection.  They may never be for general sale. An additional problem is that some ‘Mouse’ hostas are unstable – that is, they tend to revert to their parent. This is particularly true of streaked ‘Mice’. For this reason, again, they may not be tissue cultured and offered for general sale.

‘Mouse’ Hostas (as of January2 024)

NR = Not Registered.  TC = Tissue Culture

  • ‘American Super Mouse’ (V. Wade NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport.
  • ‘Armored Mouse’ ( D Van Eechaute NR) Streaked. H. ‘Mouse Party’ sport.
  • ‘Baby Boo’ (Daykin, R. 2020) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Ballroom Mouse’  (C. Wilson)  H. Blue Mouse Ears sport
  • ‘Blue Elf’ (Hansen 2020)  Hybrid. H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ x H. Osiris Obscure’
  • ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ (E. & J. Deckert 2000) TC sport of H. ‘Blue Cadet’
  • ‘Blue Mouse Ears Supreme’ (W. Silvers 2007) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Blue Spiny Mouse’ (D Van Eechaute NR) ‘Spiny Mouse’ sport.
  • ‘Botter’s Mouse’. (G. Veenstra NR)  H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Botter’s Popeye’. (G. Veenstra NR)  H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport. Pic. in Hosta Library.
  • ‘Buffalo Ice Mouse’ (Zubrik M and D. 2020) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Buffalo Misty Mouse’ (Zubrik M and D NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Calico Mouse Ears’ (M. Zilis 2012)  TC sport of H. ‘Frosted Mouse Ears’
  • ‘Cat and Mouse’ (H. Hansen 2007) TC sport of H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’
  • ‘Church Mouse’ (Walters Gardens 2012) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘City Mouse’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) H. Screaming Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Cool Mouse’ (D. Van Eechaute NR)  H. ‘Mouse Party’ sport
  • ‘Crazy Mouse’ (Avent, NR) Hybrid. H. kikuti, ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, ‘Gemstone’, ‘Cheatin Heart’.
  • ‘Crazy Mouse Ears’ (J. Schwarz NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Dancing Mouse’ (M. Fransen NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Dancing out of Time’ (M. Fransen. NR) ‘Dancing Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Danish Mouse’ (J. Hurup Hansen/Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Hanja’s Crazy Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Desert Mouse’ (J. van den Top NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Dixie’s Memory’ (G. Myers, Solberg 2018) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears Supreme’ seedling.
  • ‘Dream in Blue’ (Marlys Anderson. Not registered.) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ seedling
  • ‘Field Rat’ (C. Wilson/ Hallson Gardens NR) H. ‘Flamenco Mouse’ sport.
  • ‘Fingernails’ (T. Avent NR) Hybrid introduced 2019 from Hosta ‘Hush Puppie’, ‘Silver Bay’, ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, and ‘Cracker Crumbs’.
  • ‘Fingertips’ (T. Avent) Hybrid from Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, ‘Silver Bay’, ‘Hush Puppie’, and a special selection of wild collected Hosta sieboldii.
  • ‘Flamenco Mouse’ (C. Wilson/ Hallson Gardens 2012) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Flamingo Mouse’ Known from a photo showing a collector’s list of Mouse hostas. Possibly a misnamed H. ‘Flamenco Mouse’.
  • ‘Forest Mouse’ (J. van den Top NR) H. ‘Green Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Frosted Mouse Ears’ (Zilis, E. & J. Deckert 2006) H. Royal Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Funny Mouse’ (M. Fransen NR) H. ‘Snow Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Fuzzy Mouse Ears’ (H. Philips. Not registered). ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport.
  • ‘Ghost Mouse’ (K. Schwarz 2014) H. ‘Itty Bitty’ sport
  • ‘Giantland Iron Mouse’ (J. Miller NR) H. ‘Church Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Giantland Mouse Cheese’ (Zilis/Miller/Meyer 2011). Hybrid. BH. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ x H. ‘Abiqua Drinking Gourd’
  • ‘Giantland Sunny Mouse Ears’ (Zilis/Miller/Meyer 2011). Hybrid. H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ x unknown pollen parent
  • ‘Golden Locks’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Sun Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Golden Mouse’ (McDermott NR) H. ‘Frosted Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Golden Hearted Mouse’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Sun Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Green Mouse Ears’ (E. & J. Deckert 2004) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Green Thumb’ (T. Avent NR) T. Avent’s Plant Delights Web Site does not give origin. Ukraine website https://www.ekaterinagarden.com/katalog/item/94218/99251/green-thumb/ states ‘pollen parent – ‘Blue Mouse Ears’.’
  • ‘Hanja’s Crazy Mouse’ (J. Hurup Hansen NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Happy Mouse’ (J. van den Top NR) H. ‘Green Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Heidi Mouse’. See Facebook Post with pics. 8.7.2017. Planwerk. Details not known.
  • ‘Holy Mouse Ears’ (M. Zilis, E. & J. Deckert 2006) H. ‘Royal Mouse Ears’ TC sport
  • ‘House Mouse’ (Sue Proctor NR) H. Ruffled Mouse Ears’ seedling. Open Pollinated.
  • ‘Itty Bitty’ (M. Zilis 2010) H. ‘Green Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Jumbo Mouse Ears’ (H. Philips 2011) H.’Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Kafka Mouse’ (Van Eechaute NR) Origin not found. Hosta Library and Fransen Hostas both have H. ‘Kafka’s Mouse’.
  • ‘Knockout Mouse’ (M. & J. Fransen NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Laughing Mouse’ (M. & J. Fransen NR)  H. ‘Smiling Mouse’ sport.
  • ‘Little Ice Mouse’ (J. van den Top NR) H. ‘Green Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Little Redneck’ (T. Avent 2020) Hybrid. H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ x un-named seedling.
  • ‘Lucky Mouse’ (J. van den Top NR) ‘One Iota Supreme’ sport
  • ‘Macho Mouse’ (Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Mystic Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Magical Mouse Ears’ (H Philips/Fransen NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Marbled Mouse Ears’ (D Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Hanja’s Crazy Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Midas Mouse’ (D. & J. Ward 2014) H. ‘Mighty Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mighty Mini’ (W. Silvers 2013) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears Supreme’ sport
  • ‘Mighty Moe’ (W. Silvers 2009) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears Supreme’ sport
  • ‘Mighty Moe Supreme’ (V. Wade 2015) H. ‘Mighty Moe’ sport
  • ‘Mighty Mouse’ (Walters Gardens 2006) h. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Mighty Special’ (W. Silvers 2013) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears Supreme’ TC sport
  • ‘Mimosa Mouse Ears’ (N. Price & W.Silvers NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Minerva Mouse Ears’ (N. Price & W. Silvers NR) H. ‘Moonshine Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Mini Sail’  Originator not known. See myhostas.be  H. ‘Mini Skirt’ sport
  • ‘Mini Skirt’ (Walters Gardens, Inc. 2013) H. ‘Mighty Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Moonshine Mouse Ears’ (N. Price & W.Silvers NR) ‘Mimosa Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Aquarel’ (D Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Danish Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Brain’ (D Van Eechaute NR) H ‘Skinny Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Capades’ (R. Mortko 2013) H. ‘Mighty Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mouse King’ (D. & J. Ward 2014) H. ‘Funny Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Madness’ (M. Zilis, R. Solberg NR) H. ‘Solar Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Metamorphosis’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Kafka Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mouse on Mars’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Mouse Party’ sport
  • ‘Mouse on the Moon’ ((M. Zilis, R. Solberg NR) H. ‘Mouse Madness’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Party’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Salad’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Sun Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Tail’  (D. Van Eechaute)  H. ‘Mystic Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Tracks’ (Walters Gardens & A. Bergeron 2009) H. ‘Mighty Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Mouse Trap’ (Shady Oaks Nursery NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’[ sport
  • ‘Mouseketeer’ (Hansen 2021). Hybrid. Parentage unknown but includes H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’.
  • ‘Mrs. Mouse Ears’ (M. Testart NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘My Friend Bertha’ (Walters Gardens, Inc. NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Mystic Mouse’ (D. Van Eechaute 2010) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Niki Mouse’ (M. Roberts 2015) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘One Iota’ (J. Anderson NR) ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ TC sport
  • ‘One Iota Supreme’ (J. Schwarz NR)  H. ‘One Iota’ sport
  • ‘Pierced Mouse Ears’ (Van Eechaute NR.) Unknown parentage.
  • ‘Pure Heart’ (Walters Gardens & J. Westendorp 2009) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ TC sport
  • ‘Quarter Back’ (T. Avent NR) Hybrid. H. ‘Cracker Crumbs’ x H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’.
  • ‘Rock Mouse’ (D Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Armored Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Rookie Mouse’ (P. Szustakiewicz 2015) H. ‘Holy Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Royal Mouse Ears’ (E. & J. Deckert 2004) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ TC sport
  • ‘Ruffled Green Mouse’ (van den Top) Possibly the same as Ruffled Green Mouse Ears
  • ‘Ruffled Green Mouse Ears’ (van den Top)  H. ‘Green Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Ruffled Mouse Ears’ (M. Zilis 2011) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Ruffled Pole Mouse’ (J. van den Top NR) H. ‘Green Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Sand Mouse’ (D Van Eechaute NR) H. Mystic Mouse’ sport
  • ‘School Mouse’ (Walters Gardens NR) H. ‘Church Mouse’ TC sport
  • ‘Screaming Mouse’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Macho Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Silent Mouse’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Danish Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Skinny Mouse’ (D. Van Eechaute NR) ‘Hanja’s Crazy Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Smiling Mouse’ (Jan van den Top NR) ‘Frosted Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Snow Mouse’ (M. Fransen NR) ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Solar Mouse’ (D. & J. Ward 2013) H. ‘Funny Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Spiny Mouse’ (D Van Eechaute. NR) H. ‘Hanja’s Crazy Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Spooky Mouse Ears’ (J. van den Top NR) ‘Little Ice Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Spot Light’  (D. White NR) H. ‘Funny Mouse’ sport See Rawson Hosta Lists
  • ‘Stone Mouse’ (D. Van Eechaute?)  H. ‘Mouse Metamorphosis’ sport (See www.eurohosta.com/blog-mouse-hosta-en
  • ‘Streaked Blue Mouse Ears’ (Originator unknown) known from a photo at Wade and Gatton Nursery 2012
  • ‘Sun Mouse’ (T. Avent NR) Hybrid. H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ seedling
  • ‘Surfing Mouse’ (Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Sun Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Tender Mouse’ (Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Screaming Mouse’ sport
  • ‘Tiny Star’ (Van Eechaute NR) H. ‘Sun Mouse’ sport.
  • ‘Twice as Mice’ (Plant Delights Nursery) Hybrid. Introduced 2022 from 2007 seedling, derived from a cross that involves, Hosta ‘Blue Hawaii’, ‘Blue Mouse Ears’,’ Swoosh’, ‘Invincible’, ‘Gemstone’, Hosta sieboldiana and Hosta kikutii.
  • ‘Valley’s Mouse Tail (Linneman NR) H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ sport
  • ‘Veined Mouse Ears’  (H. Philips NR) H. ‘Knockout Mouse’ sport See Fransen Catalogue
  • ‘You’re So Vein’ (T. Avent 2012) Seedling PDN 01-086″ x ‘Blue Mouse Ears’)
  • ‘Zora’ (Fransen NR), All green sport of H. ‘Ruffled Pole Mouse’ For sporting as a survival trait see this website: Growing Hostas ‘Why do my variegated Hostas sometimes come up with green or blue leaves?’

Hosta with Mouse names either not bred from H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ or of unknown (so far) origin.

‘Blue Mice’ is a NR plant from Europe with a sieboldiana background. Breeder unknown.

‘Blue Titmouse’ (Blauemeise) (Klose-Ruh 2003) Origin unknown.

‘Botters Mouse’ (G. Veenstra NR) Unknown parentage

‘Country Mouse’ Similar in appearance to the other “mice hostas”, but is a sport of H. ‘Bill Dress’s Blue’.

‘Gypsy Mouse Ears’. Originator and Origin unknown.

‘Mini Mouse’ R. Goodwin 2006. Seedling of unknown parentage.

‘Minnie Mouse’ (= ‘Missie Mouse’)

‘Missie Mouse’ Squires NR. Unknown origin.

‘Shy Mouse’ (B. White) Unknown parentage

Our Catalogue enables you to find all the ‘Mice’ hostas we stock.  Just click the ‘Other Characteristics’ box at the top of the page and then ‘Mouse Ears Hostas’.

Above. H. ‘Frosted Mouse Ears’