Newbie with problem plants

[weeding]

These are plants that I have had for 3 or more years and I think they have the dreaded HVX. Can someone take a look and give me your opinion. This is Big Daddy. My Big Mama has the same markings.

This is Big Daddy

This Alex Summer

Alex Summer

alexsummer.jpg (53.18 KiB) Viewed 4041 times

This was suppose to be Night Before Christmas

Night Before xmas

Climax

Climax

[ViolaAnn]

Weeding,

I've already replied on DG. But I'm anxious to see what Chris thinks.

Ann

[Chris_W]

Hi Weeding, and welcome to the forums. Hopefully I can help a little with these hosta issues.

First, Big Daddy just looks like a badly frost damaged leaf. The odd/wrong color is in between the veins with normal color right on the veins, so that isn't a symptom of HVX. Whenever I see a badly damaged leaf like that I will discount anything else going on with it. Now, if you were seeing some odd colors right along the veins on the fresh, new leaves, then you might want me to take a look.

Next you have a picture labeled Alex Summers, but that isn't a leaf of Alex Summers so right away it appears to be mislabeled. From the odd bumping around the tip I really wouldn't be able to tell much without seeing the back side of the leaf too. Could be some frost damage there too, since it is confined to the leaf tip and doesn't show up further down. If you see it on other leaves and newer leaves and it goes down further towards the petiole (leaf stem) then again I would be a bit concerned, but for now I am guessing frost damage. Can you post a picture of the back side of the leaf too?

Then you have a picture labeled Night Before Christmas. I would guess it is really Hosta 'Undulata'. 'Undulata' is notorious for greening up in the center when it is potted, stressed, hot, dry, etc. Again, that isn't from a virus.

Finally you have Climax. This one concerns me more than the others. Again, I wouldn't mind seeing a picture of the other side of the leaf, but this one seems to have some discoloration right along the veins, radiating out from the veins and running up and down the leaf. Do these odd markings show up on any other leaves or just this one? A picture of more of the plant might help me more.

If there are other leaves that also show this sort of look then I would be leaning towards possible HVX infection. Can you share some pictures of the back of the "Alex Summers" and 'Climax'?

Hope that helps a little to start.

Chris

[Chris_W]

One more note - can you post a picture of the tag for Hosta 'Big Daddy'? I only see a little bit of it, but it looks like a tag from DeVroomen Holland. If so, I would be careful with that plant even if it doesn't show symptoms. Big Daddy from different growers in Holland have been coming in carrying HVX for a couple years now without showing actual symptoms.

[weeding]

Here is a pic of the underside of Climax

Climax under leaf

This is the enitire plant. It was the only leaf showing those patterns.

over-all view climax

Great Expectation also show that on one oe 2 of the leaves. They both get a lot of mid-day sun.

Great Expectation

The plant I called Alex Summers is Mildred Seavers. I guess I had Alex on the brain. Here is another leaf

Mildred Seavers

Here is the Big Daddy Tag

big daddy tag

[Chris_W]

Hi Again,

The back side of Climax looks like there might be some mite damage. Hard to tell, really, but if that is the only leaf showing something weird I would just watch it for a while, but think it is probably okay.

Check the back side of the Mildred Seaver hosta. If there is some bubbling or what looks like surface damage then it is just frost damage.

And yes, the Big Daddy tag is from DeVroomen Holland, but looks like an older tag. Since it is a Dutch plant I would treat it carefully - don't cut or divide it, and keep a good distance from other hostas in the garden just in case you have to remove it later.

And when you get the test strips and give them a try, let us know the results.

Take care,

Chris

[weeding]

Thanks Chris!

[weeding]

I tested some of my plants today.

Climax came up negative

climax strip

climaxst.jpg (55.26 KiB) Viewed 3962 times

Patriot was also negative

Patriot

milsea.jpg (48.58 KiB) Viewed 3962 times

[steg]

that's good news. I'm sure you feel a little better now.

[weeding]

I edited the previous post. That was not mildred seavers that I tested. It was the new Patriot that I bought from Lowes. I knew that Lowes had some infected plants, but I wanted to replace my Patriot, which is one of my favprites. I went back outside and grabbed a leaf from Mildred to make sure and noticed that it did not have a leaf missing. I tested it and it is positive.

mildred strip

milseastrip.jpg (46.94 KiB) Viewed 3945 times

The El Nino that I got this week is also positive.

el nino strip

elnin.jpg (48.89 KiB) Viewed 3945 times

What is the best way to destroy these, if I can not burn them?

[ViolaAnn]

Are these both new plants? If so, you should take them back to the nursery where you got them and ask for a refund. Also ask the nursery to remove any additional stock they have because it is most likely all infected.

If that's not an option, put them in the sun for a few days to dry out and them put them into regular garbage, not city yard waste. Do NOT plant another hosta in the same place until next year.

I'm sorry about your positive tests, but it's better that you know.
Ann

[Noreaster]

Oh no, I am so sorry about that. Was the El Nino showing any symptoms?

[Chris_W]

Oh Wow, I'm so sorry, I didn't see your updated results!

In a way I'm now not surprised by the results of Mildred Seaver. I just felt I couldn't get a good enough look at it. Have you had that for a while or do you know where you got it? I agree, if it is a recent purchase I would try to get a refund. If you just need to throw them away, put them in a black trash bag and throw it away in another bag with the rest of your garbage. That's be best way to discard these - off to the landfill - and that is what the Ag Department recommends for infected plant material - double bag it and off to the landfill.

We haven't sold El Nino for years as the only plants being produced were coming from the Dutch and they weren't showing symptoms but repeatedly testing positive. Only plants from the first year or two I sold them, I believe that was 2003/2004, were clean. After that they were testing positive, but never showing symptoms, and we stopped growing it. This summer more are being produced here in the US and we're going to try again. Definitely contact the grower or nursery you bought them from and demand your money back and if they are a specialty hosta seller try to convince them to start testing things.

Good luck.

Chris

[weeding]

This is Mildred Seavers 3rd season with me. I got El Nino this week. Nino did not show any signs. I only tested it because it was on the list. I have notified the seller about the virus in El Nino. I'm afraid I don't remember who I bought Mildred from.
I forgot to say Big Daddy test negative.

[steg]

I forgot to say Big Daddy test negative.

At least that is some good news. Sorry about the others.

[Noreaster]

Now I'm all worried about my Big Daddy after noticing a strange dimple on the edge. I hate HVX!

I bought El Nino last year from a reputable seller to replace my infected Halcyon. It wouldn't really break my heart to lose that one for some reason..but I'm sorry about yours and hopefully you can get a refund on that.

Now I start feeling again like I should test certain ones of mine even if they don't show the signs. I move mine around so much that I'm sure I am risking spreading the virus, if it's there, even though of course I clean tools.

[R. Rock]

Hi,
You did the "right thing" in testing. I have found it best to run like the wind when I see that "tag" and others. I feel your concerns about the garden. It will all work out to be o.k.; your on the right track.

[Trudy]

I was a little leary on the Mildred Seaver when seeing the tiny bumbs or bubbled tissue on the end of the leaf, would of been some kind of virus. But you dont know till you do a test on the hosta.

Chris I know there has been some mention of frosted damage leaves verses virus leaves.

Could you possible post some photos if you have them in a new post. That way maybe people could see the difference in frost leaves and virus leaves. Or maybe they look to similar for people to see the difference. As your time allows....we know how busy you are this time of the year.

I am hoping this would be a good educational post to help others out.