Are you familiar with the strange and sad story of King Ludwig II of Bavaria?

He was born in 1845. At that time there was no Germany as we know it, but rather a haphazard collection of royal domains, all of them ruled by nobility related through a complex series of royal marriages and alliances. Wars changed boundaries every few years.

Young Ludwig had something of a fairytale youth. Born into a family of eccentrics, he grew up in Hohenschwangau, a fantasy gothic-style castle built by his father near the Tyrolean Alps. He was indulged and developed interests in nature, art, heroic tales, and music.

But life was not kind to Ludwig. His father died unexpectedly, thrusting him onto the throne of Bavaria at the tender age of eighteen. Over the next few years he saw his countrys sovereignty get absorbed into the new German empire under Kaiser Wilhelm I.

Withdrawing from public life, Ludwig spent the rest of his life enjoying music and building castles. His most famous construction is the beautiful Neuschwanstein, a fantasy castle built high on a mountain. It is a major tourist attraction and served as the inspiration for the castle at Disneyland.

His eccentricities eventually brought him to a sad end. He was deposed from his throne, and just a few days later he failed to return from a walk and was found floating in a lake. The official ruling was suicide, but serious questions remain. History has dubbed him "Mad King Ludwig" but he is still beloved by many Bavarians who call him "The Swan King."

But this isnÂt about King Ludwig there is no registered hosta H. ÂKing Ludwig."

Besides Neuschwanstein, Ludwig is best known as the enthusiastic supporter and patron of the revolutionary composer, Richard Wagner. Wagner brought a great deal of theatricality to his music and is best known for his operas. He drew on mythology, which endeared him to Ludwig. Though few of us will ever attend a full performance of Lohengrin or das Rheingold or Tristan and Isolde, most of us have heard WagnerÂs music.

Who can ever forget the scene in Apocalypse Now... the helicopters swooping in to wreak horribly beautiful havoc to the strains of "Ride of the Valkyries?"

But this isnÂt about Wagner. Despite of the abundance of good names for hostas that could be gleaned from WagnerÂs operas - H. 'Siegfried' anybody??? - as far as I can tell no such plants have been registered.

But in 1955, Republic Pictures made a biopic about Wagner, featuring his life and music and starring Yvonne de Carlo. Republic was known for filming inexpensive Westerns and adventure serials, so this was a huge departure  a "prestige picture" to improve the image of the studio. It is a lavish film  huge cast, ornate sets, towering music expensive  and something of a box office flop.

The name of the film is Magic Fire.

ÂMagic Fire is also the name of the second hosta in the top tier. It was found in 1998 and registered in 2005 by Wilkins and patented by Jan van den Top. It is a sport of H. ÂSagae, distinguished by its more compact habit and wider, brighter margins.

I have no idea what Jan was thinking about when he named it Magic Fire  perhaps he is a movie buff. It is certainly a dramatic hosta Wagner, with his verve and flare would undoubtedly approve.

I know I look at it and hear in my mind...

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