The Demise of Elvis

[McTavish 9]

Something is drastically wrong with this guy. For the last couple years I thought the spots might be from water being on the leave with sun hitting them. It's definitely worse this year. I'm about to dig him up. I plan on keeping him in a pot and treating with the soap/mouthwash solution in the spring.

My question is does anyone know what this is? Based on some pictures I'm considering Tobbaco Rattle virus, Tomato circle something (?). Possibly too many drugs (sorry).

This shows up maybe as early as the middle of July but definately by the beginning of August.

My other question is if I dig him up now will the soil be safe for another plant in the spring?

Thanks, McT

[Pieter]

Myrle, while I'm no viral expert, I have not heard of anything to eliminate a viral infection in a Hosta. General practice would appear to be disposal, which is what I'd suggest you do, much as it hurts. You don't want to take a chance on spreading it to any of your other Hostas or any other perennials for that matter. A common vector of transmission for viri are insects that either eat or suck leaves. If I were in your boots, it'd be outta here right now...... sorta like Elvis has left the building, uhhh yard...

[McTavish 9]

Hi Pieter,

I agree, he's leaving. I had read about a possible cause being neimatodes (a different type than foliar). In case it was that I'm going to treat the soil with the soap treatment, not knowing if it will help or not. I'll leave the spot vacant over the winter and hope it will be ok in the spring. If it is the HVX, it should be ok. In the meantime, if it is not the virus but only weather or something (I doubt that) he'll be in a pot in quarantine.

[Chris_W]

Hi,

If the spots are ONLY on a few of the oldest leaves I would lean towards weather - a late near frost/freeze, but not a complete frost/freeze can just cause spots that don't show up until later. If these spots occurred also on newer growth, especially growth that emerged much later in the summer, then maybe it could be some kind of virus. Because the spots seem to focus along the veins I would be concerned it might be virus. I've never heard of any other nematode causing foliage damage, other than the normal foliar nematodes in hostas.

I had a couple Red October in one location that got spots similar to this just about every other year. Other plants in the same location would get them sometimes too. I had them examined by Dr. Lockhart under the electron microscope and he didn't see any virus or anything else that might cause them, so he thought it was just something in the environment (chemical spray drift, cold damage, fertilizer damage, etc.) The plants spotted again this year, and we did have a late, light frost one night, and since that location wasn't really protected I think that was the cause of mine. But I only had 2 plants left from that batch, so I just decided to pitch them anyway...

[HostaDesigner]

I had a very similar problem last year with another seedling. It looks just like what you are showing. The leaves became spotted and quickly faded and shriveled. It's a little harder see on mine because it's variegated. I dug it out and threw it away. Roots were healthy. Never did figure it out.

[thy]

Looks like it is mostly on the leaves turning against the camera... Is it correct ???

The sunny side ?

If it is, I belive Chris is in with something.. a slight late spring damage and then sun or a td of drought
Reason: Mine have been baly neglected this year, fact <i had to read the sign to reconise it, it is green with funny yellowish areas .. like most of my hostas.. it is UGLY
It have been moved, got sandy soil instead óf clay and lacked water badly for more than a month,. owergrown in weed too. Then add a serious drought all summer, and it was not ny first area to give water

Think I woud move it to a pot in a protected spot and see what happen next year.
Do not look like tomato or rattle virus to me... but what about a fern ?
pia

[eastwood2007]

My Elvis LIves also has a few leaves doing that. I tested it for HVX as it had potentially been exposed to that, but it tested negative. The spots on mine don't just follow the veins, though, they are on the pets and in between the veins...

Since so many are having this problem, I would be inclined to think it is something environmental? Perhaps a fungus? Highly unlikely I would think that all these different ones came out of the same TC batch or something?

[Chris_W]

The other thing I would be curious about on your Elvis Lives would be the cause of the white residue on the leaves. Are you using some kind of spray or fertilizer on it? That almost looks like a chemical residue. If you've been spraying it with something regularly you might have burned the leaves at a time when it was hot or dry or both.

[McTavish 9]

I just looked again and these yellow areas are on all sides of the plant. We didn't have any late spring frost and no plants near this one show anything like this. It is in a fairly protected area with a cement wall behind it and a paved patio in front. For that reason I don't think it's weather damage. Looking back at pictures from 2006 on it is getting worst. It shows up mid to late summer.

This is what I'd read about Tobbaco virus and nematodes. After looking more closely at pictures of the damage I don't think it's that.

Tobacco Rattle virus

Unfortunately TRV is much more difficult to control than Hosta Virus X. TRV is spread by a trichodorid nematode, a microscopic worm-like creature that lives in the soil and feeds on plant roots. Through these nematodes the virus can be spread from plant to plant. Chemicals to kill these nematodes are highly toxic and not commonly available to homeowners. Once in the garden the virus may infect multiple plants and be very difficult to get rid of. Prevention is the best form of control for TRV. In the nursery, hostas are typically infected with TRV through an infected stock plant and will almost always display symptoms. If you avoid hostas with viral symptoms you have a good chance of avoiding TRV altogether.

Chris, I don't spray my plants with anything. The white is the heavy lime in our well water. The soil is sandy - amended but doesn't hold water for long. I water nearly every day through the middle of the summer and unfortunately the system is overhead. The white deposits make me want to change it but who knows when that would be possible. Meanwhile I move those hostas most affected to the sunny side (if they can take it) where they are drip watered. I'm also hoping to have drip watering in the new wooded area I've been working on but again, we'll see when that happen. I'm just thankful that I can water as much as I want through the hot weather and never run out of water. I just have to put up with the water spots for now.

[DBoweMD]

I think both of these plants are going into dormancy and have stopped trying to protect themselves from invading fungus.
Heat and dryness will do that.
My recommendation is to do nothing. You can cut off the leaves if they look bad to you, they are not feeding the plant (crown) much at all any more.