Hosta Virus X epidemic
Here is an update on a virus-infected plant shown in an HVX thread last year.
The original photo was taken last July and here is the same plant today. There is a significant difference in the leaf texture and distortion from last year to this spring but none of the “ink bleed” markings.
The original photo was taken last July and here is the same plant today. There is a significant difference in the leaf texture and distortion from last year to this spring but none of the “ink bleed” markings.
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- July 2004 photo
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- April 2005 photo
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Chris_W
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Thanks for the update Jim. Looks like the "ink bleed" has turned more solid in the middle.
But you sure can see how a very bad case of HVX has a tendency to cause definite bumping/puckering/crinkling of the leaves.
I finally spoke face to face with 2 Mich. Dept. of Agriculture inspectors today about HVX and this was the first they've heard of it. I brought them in the office and showed them pictures of it and shared as much as I could in a short time.
They said they would let their bosses know so that people can start to watch for it, and will also see if their pathologist has the time and resources (money) to do testing for viruses. If so they might start random sampling.
The final thoughts were that if licensed nurseries are selling plants that are clearly virused then it is in violation of their license in that you must only sell healthy plants that are free from disease, so they could order sellers to destroy these plants.
I'm very happy that they took it seriously, but was disheartened by the fact that they still might not be able to do much about it given the resources they are working with. Until this gets treated as a nationwide problem there might not be much funding involved. But that might be why all of these reports here could help, as it would reveal that this is a problem at a national level.
They told me to keep up my crusade to educate people on this. No problem there
But you sure can see how a very bad case of HVX has a tendency to cause definite bumping/puckering/crinkling of the leaves.
I finally spoke face to face with 2 Mich. Dept. of Agriculture inspectors today about HVX and this was the first they've heard of it. I brought them in the office and showed them pictures of it and shared as much as I could in a short time.
They said they would let their bosses know so that people can start to watch for it, and will also see if their pathologist has the time and resources (money) to do testing for viruses. If so they might start random sampling.
The final thoughts were that if licensed nurseries are selling plants that are clearly virused then it is in violation of their license in that you must only sell healthy plants that are free from disease, so they could order sellers to destroy these plants.
I'm very happy that they took it seriously, but was disheartened by the fact that they still might not be able to do much about it given the resources they are working with. Until this gets treated as a nationwide problem there might not be much funding involved. But that might be why all of these reports here could help, as it would reveal that this is a problem at a national level.
They told me to keep up my crusade to educate people on this. No problem there
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wholyhosta
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Mar 25, 2005 4:57 pm
- Location: NE Georgia
HVX update
Chris- thanks for your commitment to educate folks and to stop the spread of HVX.
The GA Dept of Ag. fellow I spoke to on this Tuesday did say "there are no confirmed cases of HVX in Georgia at this time". The following can change that!
Yesterday I purchased 4 hostas from Lowe’s. This is the same Lowe’s our GA Agriculture officials inspected last Tues. a week ago. The hostas were:
A F. Albomarginata that was so sick you couldn't tell if it was a hosta or a weed, a Gold Standard with the classic HVX ink bleeding pattern (left 4 other sick plants on the shelves), a Sagae that appeared healthy but leaves splotched internally when held up to sunlight, and a healthy looking Fire and Ice (control). I took them, and my proof of purchase in the form of my date/time stamped Lowe’s receipt, to our county extension office here in town. They took 4-5 sample leaves off each plant to tested at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. I also brought in my 3 year old Gold Standard, purchased at Home Depot, which looks as diseased as the Gold Standard I purchased from Lowe’s yesterday. This one I’m asking the county extension office to CAREFULLY hang on to, to show the master gardeners in our county so they can be on the look-out for HVX, too.
The test results will be back Tues. or Wed. of next week and the GA Dept of Ag. will recognize them as valid results, as they are submitted by an arm of the Dept. of Ag.
I spoke to a master gardener at the county extension office, who is working there on a volunteer basis, about HVX. After I spoke to her, she went online and has said that it looks like HVX to her.
Are we getting there yet??!!! Slowly.
The GA Dept of Ag. fellow I spoke to on this Tuesday did say "there are no confirmed cases of HVX in Georgia at this time". The following can change that!
Yesterday I purchased 4 hostas from Lowe’s. This is the same Lowe’s our GA Agriculture officials inspected last Tues. a week ago. The hostas were:
A F. Albomarginata that was so sick you couldn't tell if it was a hosta or a weed, a Gold Standard with the classic HVX ink bleeding pattern (left 4 other sick plants on the shelves), a Sagae that appeared healthy but leaves splotched internally when held up to sunlight, and a healthy looking Fire and Ice (control). I took them, and my proof of purchase in the form of my date/time stamped Lowe’s receipt, to our county extension office here in town. They took 4-5 sample leaves off each plant to tested at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. I also brought in my 3 year old Gold Standard, purchased at Home Depot, which looks as diseased as the Gold Standard I purchased from Lowe’s yesterday. This one I’m asking the county extension office to CAREFULLY hang on to, to show the master gardeners in our county so they can be on the look-out for HVX, too.
The test results will be back Tues. or Wed. of next week and the GA Dept of Ag. will recognize them as valid results, as they are submitted by an arm of the Dept. of Ag.
I spoke to a master gardener at the county extension office, who is working there on a volunteer basis, about HVX. After I spoke to her, she went online and has said that it looks like HVX to her.
Are we getting there yet??!!! Slowly.
Well, I spent some quality time in my local Home Depot today (West Branch, MI). Found what appears to be HVX in their Birchwood Parky’s Gold. Talked to the Nursery Dept. manager for just over an hour. He had never heard of it, but was very interested - he grows hosta too (not like we do, but some). Looked up their supplier of that batch and gave me their name and number (Zelenka, Grand Rapids). Told me he would do what he could to get rid of them and will watch for others with similar markings as new ones come in. I called Zelenka’s when I got home. Told her of my suspicions. She wanted to know who I was and why I was concerned. Told her I was an avid collector and did not want this virus spread any further. Mentioned our “little” worldwide group of collectors here and our efforts to educate consumers and growers to prevent the further spread...well, then THEY became concerned! (hehe) Especially when I mentioned that Lowes is already taking steps! She transferred me to the Home Depot rep, who asked which store I found this in. When I said West Branch, she told me the merchandisers are already pulling them off the shelves. I have to go back tomorrow, so will see if that is true. Am also emailing HD headquarters, so they do get the message.
Yippee. But they didn’t say they were being destroyed...watch out for them appearing at other stores, just in case. These were really, really bad. All puckered and deformed, more blue than yellow-green.
Gee, if we all only inspect one store and follow through, we could make a big difference!
wanda
Yippee. But they didn’t say they were being destroyed...watch out for them appearing at other stores, just in case. These were really, really bad. All puckered and deformed, more blue than yellow-green.
Gee, if we all only inspect one store and follow through, we could make a big difference!
wanda
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wishiwere
- Posts: 6029
- Joined: Jan 05, 2004 11:05 am
- USDA Zone: 5
- Location: Central Michigan
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Oh Geepers! I've never seen anything of importance (plain jane's here) at home depot that I didn't have already from Chris or ohio, so I've never looked much, but I bet they show up here! I'll have to run over there and see what there's now and again this weekend to see if they show up!
Jane (from the middle of the Mitten state)
My hosta list: viewtopic.php?t=39540
My hosta list: viewtopic.php?t=39540
Thanks to all who ARE concerned
O.C. and his DSLW are going to FCX (Seed & Feed) next week to get her some plants to put in her new bed. Not sure if they carry Hosta or not, but they seem to carry everything else...We'll look and report...
That usually Funny and always VERY Friendly Old Coot, named John, REALLY enjoying Spring with all of God's pretty Flowers........and TODAY glowing with pride at the new ones blooming in his yard and on his deck !!!!
That usually Funny and always VERY Friendly Old Coot, named John, REALLY enjoying Spring with all of God's pretty Flowers........and TODAY glowing with pride at the new ones blooming in his yard and on his deck !!!!
There may be snow in the garden, but there will always be eternal springtime in the heart of this old gardner - Saying of Old Coot
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Bill Meyer
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Feb 17, 2003 3:18 pm
- Location: New Jersey
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Hi Everybody,
I just wanted to say that I think it's great how all of you are working to help stop the virus. The grassroots movement started here by Chris can go a long way towards stopping HVX from becoming the huge plague for gardeners that it already is for nurseries. Keep up the good work!
I'd like to offer a few pointers on what I've learned about HVX in the past few weeks. Some of these are worth keeping in mind when you talk to garden center and nursery owners/managers and Dept. of Agriculture people.
1. All plants in a batch which has plants showing symptoms MUST be considered infected - not just the ones that show symptoms.
The above point is of utmost importance, because it holds the answers about how this virus has gotten so explosively out of control. I visited a friend's nursery the other day and looked over his hosta for HVX. I had done the same last Fall and didn't find any, but he had gotten some clean-looking 'Striptease' from a Dutch broker. I advised him to separate those and not cut them in any way until the leaves were completely dead and dry in the Fall. This Spring I looked at those and found two that were showing HVX. Worse yet, he had bought some 'So Sweet' a few years ago when they were really cheap that had looked fine all along (including last Fall) and now five of them showed symptoms. Dr. Lockhart's study reported than many varieties, though infected, did not show symptoms during the 3-year period of his study.
I'm sure this long wait before symptoms show in some plants is the reason it was spread around so much. Many of the plants showing symptoms now may have been infected years ago. Consider the implications - be very careful about spreading sap of any hosta which has come from those cheap sources like the box stores, especially those that have turned out to be the most reported now. Even though these plants may have been symptom-free for the last 2-3 years, they may be carrying the virus and show symptoms next year.
That is why it is vitally important that all plants from a batch that showed symptoms be destroyed. They must all be considered infected. One thing I worry about now is places throwing out only the symptomatic plants and keeping the ones that don't show symptoms yet. This is how the virus was spread so much to begin with and how we will keep spreading here.
2. I spoke to someone at the USDA and they were looking into how to disseminate information to the various state Depts. of Agriculture. Some states know about HVX and some don't. The USDA does know, so if you are talking to state people, please direct them to the USDA so they can get info from an official source.
3. If someone wants to get plants tested after you tell them they are virused, the lab needs to have the specific test kit (called an ELISA kit) for HVX. Last Fall, only two or three places had those kits. Advise them to ask the lab to test specifically for HVX. Otherwise a lab may report no known viruses in the sample.
4. Explain to nursery owners/managers that heavily symptomatic plants are just the big red flag. They should also watch for slight markings in future stock as the people they buy from may try "cleaning out the bad ones" by only sending clean-looking plants. Under no circumstances should nurseries (or gardeners) cut any part of suspected plants and then cut other plants with unsanitized tools.
For gardeners, be very careful about spreading sap from any potentially infected plants. This includes handling hail-damaged leaves, string trimmers, pinching off leaves or scapes, and any of a hundred other ways to get move sap from one damaged plant to another. Simply accept that hosta sap is dangerous for the next few years and treat it like you just touched poison ivy - go and wash your hands or tools before you touch another hosta. Dr. Lockhart has suggested that animals like deer feeding on hostas can potentially spread the virus. If deer get into your hostas, do not keep suspected HVX plants in the garden. They are not worth the trouble they will cause if they start spreading HVX around your yard.
Hope some of this is helpful. Again, I think it's great that all of you are getting out there and helping stop this epidemic. If we are successful in keeping it from getting into everyone's gardens, we will have something we can look back on and feel good about.
Keep spreading the word.
.........Bill Meyer
I just wanted to say that I think it's great how all of you are working to help stop the virus. The grassroots movement started here by Chris can go a long way towards stopping HVX from becoming the huge plague for gardeners that it already is for nurseries. Keep up the good work!
I'd like to offer a few pointers on what I've learned about HVX in the past few weeks. Some of these are worth keeping in mind when you talk to garden center and nursery owners/managers and Dept. of Agriculture people.
1. All plants in a batch which has plants showing symptoms MUST be considered infected - not just the ones that show symptoms.
The above point is of utmost importance, because it holds the answers about how this virus has gotten so explosively out of control. I visited a friend's nursery the other day and looked over his hosta for HVX. I had done the same last Fall and didn't find any, but he had gotten some clean-looking 'Striptease' from a Dutch broker. I advised him to separate those and not cut them in any way until the leaves were completely dead and dry in the Fall. This Spring I looked at those and found two that were showing HVX. Worse yet, he had bought some 'So Sweet' a few years ago when they were really cheap that had looked fine all along (including last Fall) and now five of them showed symptoms. Dr. Lockhart's study reported than many varieties, though infected, did not show symptoms during the 3-year period of his study.
I'm sure this long wait before symptoms show in some plants is the reason it was spread around so much. Many of the plants showing symptoms now may have been infected years ago. Consider the implications - be very careful about spreading sap of any hosta which has come from those cheap sources like the box stores, especially those that have turned out to be the most reported now. Even though these plants may have been symptom-free for the last 2-3 years, they may be carrying the virus and show symptoms next year.
That is why it is vitally important that all plants from a batch that showed symptoms be destroyed. They must all be considered infected. One thing I worry about now is places throwing out only the symptomatic plants and keeping the ones that don't show symptoms yet. This is how the virus was spread so much to begin with and how we will keep spreading here.
2. I spoke to someone at the USDA and they were looking into how to disseminate information to the various state Depts. of Agriculture. Some states know about HVX and some don't. The USDA does know, so if you are talking to state people, please direct them to the USDA so they can get info from an official source.
3. If someone wants to get plants tested after you tell them they are virused, the lab needs to have the specific test kit (called an ELISA kit) for HVX. Last Fall, only two or three places had those kits. Advise them to ask the lab to test specifically for HVX. Otherwise a lab may report no known viruses in the sample.
4. Explain to nursery owners/managers that heavily symptomatic plants are just the big red flag. They should also watch for slight markings in future stock as the people they buy from may try "cleaning out the bad ones" by only sending clean-looking plants. Under no circumstances should nurseries (or gardeners) cut any part of suspected plants and then cut other plants with unsanitized tools.
For gardeners, be very careful about spreading sap from any potentially infected plants. This includes handling hail-damaged leaves, string trimmers, pinching off leaves or scapes, and any of a hundred other ways to get move sap from one damaged plant to another. Simply accept that hosta sap is dangerous for the next few years and treat it like you just touched poison ivy - go and wash your hands or tools before you touch another hosta. Dr. Lockhart has suggested that animals like deer feeding on hostas can potentially spread the virus. If deer get into your hostas, do not keep suspected HVX plants in the garden. They are not worth the trouble they will cause if they start spreading HVX around your yard.
Hope some of this is helpful. Again, I think it's great that all of you are getting out there and helping stop this epidemic. If we are successful in keeping it from getting into everyone's gardens, we will have something we can look back on and feel good about.
Keep spreading the word.
.........Bill Meyer
If you thought the auction was fun, come to the meeting!
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Primroselane
- Posts: 183
- Joined: Mar 03, 2005 12:43 am
- Location: Shelby Twp Michigan zone 5
- Contact:
To Bill Meyer
I was the one that had the Sum and Substance with the Virus last summer, after reading more and more about the Virus, I think that possibly mine could have had it since I purchased it and it was just dormant, I purchased it in the fall of 1997 and it did not show any symptoms until the 5th year, these plants were from a reputable nursery and were field grown at their nursery. The first year that it showed symptons, I thought it was from the new sprinkling system, the second year it was beautiful and Gardeners from the Hosta Club was envious of it, they wanted me to divide it, the third year it started looking very strange and all the time it was very vigorus and healthy looking and the same size as the other two. I had purchased three together. Everyone said no it does not have a virus- look at how healthy is looks. Then I seen the new pictures posted on the Hosta Library. Shortly after that Bob got me in touch with Chris and then you, and Finally Dr Lockhart. It is a very scary disease. By the way I walked through a Home Depot by my house and seen some Hostas, could not identify them, but after reading the forum, they did kind of looks like weeds, I will have to go back and look again.
I was the one that had the Sum and Substance with the Virus last summer, after reading more and more about the Virus, I think that possibly mine could have had it since I purchased it and it was just dormant, I purchased it in the fall of 1997 and it did not show any symptoms until the 5th year, these plants were from a reputable nursery and were field grown at their nursery. The first year that it showed symptons, I thought it was from the new sprinkling system, the second year it was beautiful and Gardeners from the Hosta Club was envious of it, they wanted me to divide it, the third year it started looking very strange and all the time it was very vigorus and healthy looking and the same size as the other two. I had purchased three together. Everyone said no it does not have a virus- look at how healthy is looks. Then I seen the new pictures posted on the Hosta Library. Shortly after that Bob got me in touch with Chris and then you, and Finally Dr Lockhart. It is a very scary disease. By the way I walked through a Home Depot by my house and seen some Hostas, could not identify them, but after reading the forum, they did kind of looks like weeds, I will have to go back and look again.
Lucille
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Bill Meyer
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Feb 17, 2003 3:18 pm
- Location: New Jersey
- Contact:
Hi Lucille,
I saw your story when you posted before, and along with the 'So Sweet' it's one of several cases now where the virus showed symptoms after staying hidden for years. Dr. Lockhart's finding numerous varieties that did not show symptoms after 3 years was not really surprising but is certainly not welcome news.
I'm sure there are many of us who purchased plants that originated in the nurseries that started spreading this thing. The fact that it is around so much now is a sign of real problems to come, I think.
This virus has slipped right through a system of disease prevention that has been around for years as if it wasn't even there. Quite a few growers spread it a lot (not just a little) and they couldn't all have been completely blind. Many are highly experienced professionals who, as Chris said, have to worry about losing their licenses and reputations for selling diseased plants. This ability to stay hidden is how and why HVX has exploded around the world. And it's what makes it so scary.
It is not limited to the plants that show symptoms, so everyone please be careful with any suspect plants. The suspect plants would be any of the varieties that have been shown to have it bought over the last 7 years or so. It doesn't matter too much where you bought them, because even the most reputable and consciencious retail nurseries may have bought them from the same wholesalers who most spread it.
.........Bill Meyer
I saw your story when you posted before, and along with the 'So Sweet' it's one of several cases now where the virus showed symptoms after staying hidden for years. Dr. Lockhart's finding numerous varieties that did not show symptoms after 3 years was not really surprising but is certainly not welcome news.
I'm sure there are many of us who purchased plants that originated in the nurseries that started spreading this thing. The fact that it is around so much now is a sign of real problems to come, I think.
This virus has slipped right through a system of disease prevention that has been around for years as if it wasn't even there. Quite a few growers spread it a lot (not just a little) and they couldn't all have been completely blind. Many are highly experienced professionals who, as Chris said, have to worry about losing their licenses and reputations for selling diseased plants. This ability to stay hidden is how and why HVX has exploded around the world. And it's what makes it so scary.
It is not limited to the plants that show symptoms, so everyone please be careful with any suspect plants. The suspect plants would be any of the varieties that have been shown to have it bought over the last 7 years or so. It doesn't matter too much where you bought them, because even the most reputable and consciencious retail nurseries may have bought them from the same wholesalers who most spread it.
.........Bill Meyer
If you thought the auction was fun, come to the meeting!
Just read Bill's comments and I want everyone to read them, so I'm giving it a bump up. I saw really bad things at Wal-Mart yesterday and of course, no camera. This thing is so out of control now, it scares me. I saw Royal Standards' that could have passed for Embroidery, they were so messed up. No signs of mottling on those, but other plants they had did show it, maybe 4-5 in each group.
(they just got them in) so, I'd say at least 1/4 or so I could see something "wrong" in their appearance. The F. Albomarginata they had were exhibiting the viroused mottled look at the edge of the green center, before the white margin starts, and the margins were extremely ruffled, non-typical.
I need to add, also--these plants are multi-eyed, so I know they were field-dug.
(they just got them in) so, I'd say at least 1/4 or so I could see something "wrong" in their appearance. The F. Albomarginata they had were exhibiting the viroused mottled look at the edge of the green center, before the white margin starts, and the margins were extremely ruffled, non-typical.
I need to add, also--these plants are multi-eyed, so I know they were field-dug.
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Primroselane
- Posts: 183
- Joined: Mar 03, 2005 12:43 am
- Location: Shelby Twp Michigan zone 5
- Contact:
To Bill Meyer and all
The plants that I had all looked so good, they were in the corner of our driveway on a hill, for a main focal point as you enter the yard they were to make a statement, they had everyone's attention and they were beautiful, even after the Virus appeared, I have had numerous Garden Walks and they got everyone's attention. the confusing part for me is seeing in the Latest Hosta Journal the picture of the Virus and it shows a sick plant or as some of you see in the Nurseries they look sick, mine did not, they looked like I had something wonderful with the changes it was going through. This year we sure will miss the Hostas that decorated the Hillside.
The plants that I had all looked so good, they were in the corner of our driveway on a hill, for a main focal point as you enter the yard they were to make a statement, they had everyone's attention and they were beautiful, even after the Virus appeared, I have had numerous Garden Walks and they got everyone's attention. the confusing part for me is seeing in the Latest Hosta Journal the picture of the Virus and it shows a sick plant or as some of you see in the Nurseries they look sick, mine did not, they looked like I had something wonderful with the changes it was going through. This year we sure will miss the Hostas that decorated the Hillside.
Lucille
Grrrrrrr the %#$&ing WalMart here is selling virused plants again also. I've brought it to the attention of the garden manager and she said she would pull all the hostas. Well I didn't have the time to sit and watch to make sure she did, but I will check back in another day to see what's up.
Just for the record I bought a Tattoo and Sum & Substance off someone on ebay in spring 2003 and they both were infected with the HVX virus.. Here's a picture of the infected Tattoo. When I sent a email to the selling asking about it, I just got the big OLD IGGY button I guess, cause I've never recieved a reply back from them..
Just for the record I bought a Tattoo and Sum & Substance off someone on ebay in spring 2003 and they both were infected with the HVX virus.. Here's a picture of the infected Tattoo. When I sent a email to the selling asking about it, I just got the big OLD IGGY button I guess, cause I've never recieved a reply back from them..
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wishiwere
- Posts: 6029
- Joined: Jan 05, 2004 11:05 am
- USDA Zone: 5
- Location: Central Michigan
- Contact:
Nope, not buying from wallyworld, home depot, lowes or any of the big box stores! Dang.........there is no one else that sells them here, except the lancifl. and others similar 
Jane (from the middle of the Mitten state)
My hosta list: viewtopic.php?t=39540
My hosta list: viewtopic.php?t=39540
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wholyhosta
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Mar 25, 2005 4:57 pm
- Location: NE Georgia
HVX Update
Hey, ya'll ! Use your county extension office to test any suspect plant, or new hostas you aren't sure about, for HVX. This is the only way I can be sure about my hostas and I don't have to wait 3-5 years to find out if a particular hosta has it. results are back in 5-14 days. Be sure and request HVX testing, because, as Bill Meyer mentioned, all labs don't have the specific kit for that virus- mine didn't, in certain labs here in GA.
Also, take a few moments, and email the Secretary of the US Dept of Agriculture to express your concern.
Also, take a few moments, and email the Secretary of the US Dept of Agriculture to express your concern.
Bill and Lucille
Your postings are depressing... do you mean for real I have to go down to the "I have all the (6) hostas in the World time ?"
If we have to wait so long to se the virus......it is everywhere !!!
One maybe stupid question: If you take a sample from a bach of 1000 and have it testet...will it show the real test for the rest 999 ???
If they were tested here before shipping, they will be a little bit more pricy... but who want to wait 3 to 5 years for an infected hosta to mature
Still feel bad for this coming from Europe
WHY can't we get them tested here ... at root level.
HVX can't be new to any serious grower anymore
If youthink we are safe in Europe... do think twice... an expected order of 1000 turns up to be an order of 900... where do you think the rest will go...
Pia
Your postings are depressing... do you mean for real I have to go down to the "I have all the (6) hostas in the World time ?"
If we have to wait so long to se the virus......it is everywhere !!!
One maybe stupid question: If you take a sample from a bach of 1000 and have it testet...will it show the real test for the rest 999 ???
If they were tested here before shipping, they will be a little bit more pricy... but who want to wait 3 to 5 years for an infected hosta to mature
Still feel bad for this coming from Europe
WHY can't we get them tested here ... at root level.
HVX can't be new to any serious grower anymore
If youthink we are safe in Europe... do think twice... an expected order of 1000 turns up to be an order of 900... where do you think the rest will go...
Pia
Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com
HVX
Pia, have you heard of anyone in Europe getting infected Hostas?
I wonder what is happening here. Last sommer I was kind of the whistle blower on HVX here in Switzerland. A lot of good it did, only a couple of people took me seriously. Nobody had ever heard of HVX.
I was convinced to have received infected Striptease. Because my Hostas were held up in customs, returned to the sender, sent again, they arrived a little wilted. Not only did I soak them in the same water, but trimmed off the leaves, using my tools on other Hostas I was dividing at the time. When I heard about the Virus, PANIC! Next to striptease, 2 other Hostas looked strange.
Anyway, after going through the trouble of taking infected leaves with me on the plane and 'overnight' mailing them to Dr. Lockhart, I was more than pleased to hear that no traces of HVX were found. Ready to plant the isolated plants out in the garden, I read about the fact, that it could take 3 years for HVX to show up in testing....
Now what, Will this be the end of enjoying growing Hostas?
I wonder what is happening here. Last sommer I was kind of the whistle blower on HVX here in Switzerland. A lot of good it did, only a couple of people took me seriously. Nobody had ever heard of HVX.
I was convinced to have received infected Striptease. Because my Hostas were held up in customs, returned to the sender, sent again, they arrived a little wilted. Not only did I soak them in the same water, but trimmed off the leaves, using my tools on other Hostas I was dividing at the time. When I heard about the Virus, PANIC! Next to striptease, 2 other Hostas looked strange.
Anyway, after going through the trouble of taking infected leaves with me on the plane and 'overnight' mailing them to Dr. Lockhart, I was more than pleased to hear that no traces of HVX were found. Ready to plant the isolated plants out in the garden, I read about the fact, that it could take 3 years for HVX to show up in testing....
Now what, Will this be the end of enjoying growing Hostas?
Not sure if it was HVX, no testing done 
Got a bag of cheap roots, 3 of them had lovely blue dots on green hostas
, a friend send some pics from a hosta find in a shop.. looking very close to HVX and in a garden TV show they divided a funny hosta... once again, I can't be sure, but I think it was HVX.
Think we specially have to take care of cheap ones... but >I do have troubles when I see a Darwin plant sign
Pia
Got a bag of cheap roots, 3 of them had lovely blue dots on green hostas
, a friend send some pics from a hosta find in a shop.. looking very close to HVX and in a garden TV show they divided a funny hosta... once again, I can't be sure, but I think it was HVX.Think we specially have to take care of cheap ones... but >I do have troubles when I see a Darwin plant sign
Pia
Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com