Twilight? Hvx

[sweetee]

Hi, I think this is Twilight. This is one of the first hosta I ever got, and yes it was from a chain store. It never really looked bad. This leaf was cut 3 days ago, and that's why it looks a little wilted. I tested it and it does test positve. It was fairly isolated in the ground. It is in the garbage now but wanted to share pics so that everyone can realize that not every hosta shows huge signs of hvx.
In fact, in my communications with Agdia learned that some will never show signs and some may take up to two years to even test positive.
Very helpful information and hope this benefits someone.

[Carol O]

Why did you test it? What were your clues?

[sweetee]

I do spot testing since finding one which tested positive. This bed is large and had gold drop, patriot and this one all in proximity of each other. The gold drop was the only one which showed signs. On a whim I decided to test all the hosta in this bed. The gold drop, patriot and twilight were positive. Not a huge deal as 7 other hosta were negative.
I now spot test every year. I test any new batches coming in, even though that doesn't always mean anything. I cannot imagine quarantining for 2 years, but it seems like that's a good solution, and always buying from reputable sources.
I'm not as versed as Chris and others. Sometimes I see frost damage and think it's hvx!

[Carol O]

Yeh, I know what you mean. I 'see' HVX and move my plants (I have them all in pots) way away in a quarantin area, they never look worse. One of these days, I need to order the strip tests and ease my mind either knowing they are or aren't.

[Chris_W]

Thanks for sharing what you learned. The whole fortunei family of hostas can carry HVX without showing symptoms. That includes Twilight and Patriot like you've found out, plus Francee and Minuteman, Revolution, Independence, Loyalist, Fire and Ice, Whirlwind, and maybe even Praying Hands which is likely a fortunei relative since the flowers and flowering time are about the same. The non-yellow plants in the Halcyon family can also go a long time without showing symptoms or may show faint traces that will be hard to see.

We do a lot of spot testing here too and we are now testing all of the incoming tissue culture plants too. The wholesalers, in my opinion, are getting really "rooster-y" with their attitude towards HVX, and so are a lot of the brokers. Everyone says they test but then I think that gives them a false sense of security. If a plant is divided and infected just before going into tissue culture it will test negative for weeks or maybe even months while the virus concentration is low. Hybridizers need to be really wary about their dividing practices and the wholesalers need to be testing things during the TC process and as the plants hit the greenhouses.

Thanks again for the warning!

Chris

[sweetee]

Chris, you are actually my motivation. I bought your CD when I first heard about HVX and since then have gathered as much info as I can. I still choose to isolate my new plants from unknown sources (gifts). After seeing how easy it is to hide, you can't use your eyes any longer.
I have spoken with some "top rated" hosta farms and when I ask if they test they say; oh, the place we get them from tests so ours are disease-free.
That's not a great answer. Might as well say; nope, we don't test.
On the positive side; I used to always see hvx at the local stores. I looked this summer and only saw signs of it at one store. I thought that was an improvement.
Thanks for all the info you share Chris!