I am certainly no expert, but I think those are probably infected.

Last year, I removed both a Pilgrim AND a Blue Cadet that were infected. One was from a VERY reputable nursery and the other was from a hole-in-the-wall nursery.

Still learning how to add pix. Here's Pilgrim:

and another:

blue cadet:

and another of blue cadet:

also not an expert, but they are not looking good...they've got the bleeding in the veins and I think it is Pilgrim that's also showing leaf distortion.

One of the gurus will certainly pop in here soon and confirm.

...and if you're not sure what to do now, search the HVX in this hosta forum and there are a number of threads which will help you learn how to dispose of them carefully and clean your garden tools, etc, so as not to infect other hostas.

....sorry...this HVX is a real bug-a-boo! If you purchase on eBay, then you're an online buyer...try Chris at Hallson's. He is an HVX guru and you will get beautiful plants from him with great root systems....without the worries that you're going acquire infected plants. Sellers may know, or not know that they are selling/spreading...so it's best to buy from someone like Chris who is very knowledgeable and serious about HVX. There are others, as well, he's just the one that I'm most familiar with.

Here is a link that might be useful: hallson's

Thanks. Hallson's has a great site - I've checked it out before but never bought.

I think I need to take a little break from buying until my husband gets over the initial shock and I get my new plants in the ground. I've been trying to hide my purchases by planting quickly but the boxes are coming too fast now. :) Especially when my 2 year old daughter wants to "help".

I guess I have to get rid of these. The plants are small enough I can probably just pull and get the whole thing - maybe then I don't have to clean shovels. They were planted Summer '08 and were small.

I feel bad destroying them - they were finally taking off.

doesn't look good, sri

It's a bugger having to take them out after having them for several years. I took out a 'So Sweet' a couple of weeks ago that I'd had since 2002 and I didn't like how it looked last year. I kept telling myself that the severe puckering was due to the very cold spring we'd had last year and held out hopes for a much improved appearance this spring. Alas, it was not to be and I had to take the bull by the horn and dig it up.

Do the same with your 2, they are infected as well, sorry to say.

Pieter

There is not a reason to keep them...they are cheap and easily replaced. Dig them up and don't plant another hosta there for at least a year. I like to hold off for two years. I place two flat rocks right on top of the former spot so as not to "forget" that is where the HVX or diseased plant was located. Or you can plant a fern or heuchera there so no hosta will go there again.
BTW, I am getting very selective on where I purchase. Many local places (and pitiful selections) don't screen well for HVX and they aren't worth buying from and risking getting an infected plant. I only buy from places like hallson's that are extremely proactive when it comes to HVX.

I would get rid of them like yesterday. It's almost becoming a rite of passage in the hosta world to have to dig up an infected one. I guess you know you're officially a hostaholic when you replace the one you lost.

and the tool cleaning... Chris is telling us that alcohol is not doing the trick - we need to use something like Lysol...

I just received my box if HVX test strips. I am testing all of my hostas. I feels pretty good actually knowing whether something has HVX or not. I also like not having to wait years to find out. The "kit" is expensive but worth it for my peace of mind.

I even found out that my Striptease, which shows some funny lines towards the end of the summer (but not when it first comes up) is not infected. I was suspicious about that one but left it in place since it is by itself and I never mess with it (ex. clean up leaves). Now I know I can divide it!

Can you message me where you got your Hostas I got a lot off ebay last year too. I have all my sellers with the plants I got from them so I can check. None of mine are really leaved out so I cannot tell if anything is infected but I would like to know if I could have bought from the same person.

caprinequine@aol.com

Coral what sort of test strips did you get? And how many hostas do you have that you can test all of them?

I am shuddering at the thought of buying 25 test strips - though when you think of it - it is "only" the cost of 4 or 5 regularly priced hostas and can be justified!!

Jakki

Hi Jakkig,

I am a newbie so I do not have a yard full. Also, since I am a newbie I have not been as careful about who I bought from and how I cleaned me tools as I should have been. Since I am up to about 15 new ones this year I want to start with a HVX free garden.

I purchased the agdia test strips. I am not testing every single plant. I had a few I was worried about and some I purchased from someone who only deals in hostas but had never heard of HVX before I mentioned it to her. I know my first HVX plant (a Sum and Substance) came from her. I was worried about the rest. Happily they all tested negative.

Now that I know about HVX I will be more cautious about who I buy from.