Need help to identify

[garcan]

Hi
I lost the tags for these two hostas a few years ago. Hope someone can help provide their names. Thanks.
http://www.gardencanadensis.ca/test/hosta2.jpg

[Mary Ann]

The Gold Standard appears to be virused, sorry. The other is Fair Maiden.

[thy]

So sorry to wellcome you with a note on an HVX infected hosta
But , there is no doubt, it have to go t the land fill

best way to avoid the virus to spread is to dig up the smal hosta in one move..sorry for my bad language, what i mean is not to dig too much near to the infected hosta.. HVX srpead via the sap.. so cut it loose from the other sides and then dig deep and lift

Wellcome
Pia

[garcan]

Mary Ann, Pia,
Thanks so much for the identification and advice. This pic was taken last year. Would the virus infected the others hostas nearby as well by now, the surrounding hostas need to be destroyed as well? What are the main characteristics to look for? Really appreciate your help.

[Chris_W]

Hi,

Definitely that is a virus infected Gold Standard. I don't really know what the other one is - looks little big to be Fair Maiden to me.

The symptoms of Hosta Virus X will vary from plant to plant, but watch for discoloration right along the veins, odd warts or strange collapsing patches on the leaves.

As Pia was saying, dig out that Gold Standard from the opposite side of the little hosta then throw it in the trash. I wouldn't throw away the other one but watch it for strange changes like I mentioned above.

Sorry

Chris

[garcan]

Chris
Thanks for the advice. Although hosta was not my main collection plant, I got increasingly attracted to it in the last three years. Now I am really worried about the rest of the hostas that I rushed to acquire and spread over many beds in the last couple of years. I did a little search last night for info on HVX and landed on your hosta virus forum which provided a lot of useful information. Since I have no confidence that I can identify the symtoms reliably like you, I placed an order for the test strips that was mentioned in that forum which provided a link (costly ouch). I would like to scan each bed where hostas are planted so that I can continue to garden with peace of mind. Do you think this is a practical approach at all or just plain naive? How reliable are the test strips?

[steg]

I'll throw in my 2 cents...

I believe the test strips are very reliable based on their comparison to much more stringent testing. Keep in mind that a negative result indicates that the virus isn't present in sufficient amounts to trigger a positive result. While a negative result is good, it should be noted with caution. I would likely watch the all the plants, if you have question or concerns you can always post a picture here - the group as a whole is very good at providing insight. If there is any question, the test strips are a great source. As already stated, the symptoms can vary from plant to plant so it's getting harder to tell for sure with sight alone. Once their is visual confirmation, the concentration is usually pretty high.

The best thing you can do is make sure you clean your tools well after using them. Keep them clean. Make sure you get all the dirt off prior to cleaning with bleach or lysol.

Just being aware of the disease and taking precautions is a great step. Having test strips available and ready is also a good idea. It can really help. If any questions come up - post them. Good luck.

Mike