Here's the response I got from the Lowe's Garden Center Manager regarding my pointing out the hostas I suspect had HVX.
Thank you for your patience while we have researched your inquiry. Initial testing indicated that the 1 gallon Birchwood Parky's Gold™ has a virus. Plant samples have been sent to a testing facility to determine if the virus is Hosta Virus X or another virus. Lowe's and our vendors have taken a proactive step by removing the product from our stores. Those plants and those still at the growers have been destroyed as a precaution. It will be several weeks before final testing is completed, at which time I will advise you of the outcome. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Way to go Alexa! Proud of you for taking that step that makes all the differance. Glad they took the time to listen and actually do something about it. Definately an important step forward.
I received a call from the local store Garden Center Manager and she is really stepping up! She not only contacted the regional buyer to say that some of the plants delivered to this local store appear to be virused, she CC's the national buyer to alert that person of the problem.
I have a lot of respect for the woman who is at my local Lowe's - she is doing what she can to help us all by getting the word out to "the powers" in Lowe's regarding HVX. If you are lurking - Good Job Elaine!
We have enjoyed many shopping trips to Lowe's since
they opened in St. Louis a few years ago....BUT now my
sincere esteem is with the company and especially the lady
at your local store who took your problem seriously.
Thanks for the info and especially for informing the store.
Marietta
I think it's great that you took the time to point it out to them...and that they actually listened and took action! I'm really surprised by that. Kudos to Lowe's for taking their ressponsiblity to the public seriously.
Fantastic news!! I have yet to go into my local Lowes to see what they have there. I'm hoping I'll find nothing!! And by that I mean no virused plants, which might indicate that word is getting around nationally and ALL Lowes stores have pulled the infected plants.
Great job , Alexa, and thank you for sharing the news with us.
And Chris...I hope you are right about the form letter/email. It would indicate that they now realize it's a huge problem!
Same person here too. So it seems that the reports are widespread. However, I will write her back to say that my concern was over the so called 'Sugar and Cream' that I saw, and not Birchwood Parky's Gold...
I received the same email. I sure hope that they are really checking things out-and not just chucking the BPG. My hope is that the Lowe's around the country is beginning to change the way they do business with their suppliers and demanding quality control.
I guess I can't expect that many nurseries are as diligent and cautious as our Hallson's, but a step in the right direction would warm this gardener's heart.
As of Thursday my sales rep from the grower is still waiting for results, I know he sent samples out of 1gallon 'So Sweet" and 1qt 'Golden Tiara.' Birchwood Parky's Gold was also one that I sent back- the letter may be based on that information. He sent samples of different varieties from my store and also from their facility. I have not received any information at the store level. In the meantime I did receive hosta from a secondary source- I checked each one and they seemed fine (other than looking scraggly) to be honest I would rather have none than these ones. I actually had customers complaining that we did not have hosta- as one customer told me " If I knew what I was doing I would know every garden center carries hosta." I explained that there was a problem with our delivery and I sent them back.
I have a color printer and printed out the pictures from this site so we can use them as a point of reference. I know Alexa will be in my store today so please check them out and let me know what you think:)
As soon as I find more out I will keep you guys posted. I do not think Lowes is taking it lightly, but I will look into the form letter they are sending out.
I have a question about the plants that come from Holland- I heard contamination is spread through damaged leaves,etc. If they pressure wash them before they ship and this is a posssible point of contamination wouldn't it make sense for the USDA to regulate the Holland growers? Are they involved?
Good for you, Alexa. I admire your success in convincing your local Lowe's manager to address the situation. When I found at a Lowe's in my area an entire display of BPGs clearly showing signs of virus, I failed miserably and getting anyone to grasp the urgency of the matter. The manager said he would "look into it." But when I went back two weeks later, half the BPGs were gone and the others were still there. That means there are diseased BPGs out in the community. It's an uphill battle, for sure, but your victory is an important one.
This HVX thing has me really concerned. My mother and I were out shoping nurseries and I told her not to touch any hosta. We walked into this one private nursery and there was a Blue Angel (I think?) from "Best Selects" (? not sure now either) and it looked peculiar.
If this nursery buys roots and pots them up could they spread the virus if unaware to the soil inother perennial plants pots and could you bring it into your garden that way?
I hate the implications of this whole HVX thing...I am not knowledgeable enough about this virus to ID it. If the soil transmission is possible you don't dare buy any plant from a nursery you would suspect of possibly having a HVX plant somewhere in its supply line, right?
Proud of you for taking that step that makes all the differance. Glad they took the time to listen and actually do something about it. Definately an important step forward. 
