I won't get into a discussion about how this plant ended up in Lowe's, but I can help a little about the virus question.

Just looking at this leaf I would say no, this hosta doesn't appear to be infected with HVX. Several plants can go through color changes as they grow, and that's all this looks like to me. Be it stress or whatever, the center appears to be going through a color change from blue-green to yellow/gold. Actually Paul's Glory does this a lot, and that's what these remind me of. The key thing I tell people to look at is the coloring on the veins. Is the vein color right or wrong. If it is right and the wrong color is between the veins then there is a greater chance it isn't HVX. If the vein color is wrong then it is more likely virus. In this case the center is supposed to be yellow/orange, and that's the correct color showing on the veins. I assume it will color up more in the garden or in more sunlight, but that plant doesn't really look like a tetraploid Orange Marmalade to me and looks more like a Paul's Glory...

It's drought tolerant too. Says so on the tag so it must be true.

Steve

If I'm wrong, it won't be the first time. I'll go back to that store and beg forgiveness and explain I was overzealous and all that stuff.

This time, I bought it. I'm going to order the test strips tomorrow. If it's not HVX positive, then I have a Forbidden Fruit to go along with my Orange Marmalade. (And, to think, I chose the ugliest one.)

Boy, if I made this stink and was wrong, I will get to eat my words without catsup. But like I said, it won't be the first time. I know how to admit I'm wrong and to make amends to the best of my ability.

Since there's a question, I'm sure glad I bought it.

bkay

I ordered the test strips. They won't be here until next week.

bkay

yeah I noticed that drought tolerant lol... I got a chuckle
john

If hostas were drought tolerant, I'd have it made. We've had 5 inches of rain total in the past 3 months and got all of 5 inches of snow all winter. This on top of the record breaking heat and drought we had last summer.

My salvias and nepeta, on the other hand, couldn't care less about the lack of moisture. Now THAT'S what I call drought tolerant!!!

Deanna

Of course, if it does test positive for HVX it wouldn't surprise me either, we just aren't seeing the obvious symptoms of it here.

BKay, I feel your pain. I've been afflicted with foot in mouth disease, but the best quotation I ever heard about eating your words, is

"Oh Lord, let my words be sweet,
For I may have to eat them."

Do not know if this is a quote or a folk saying.
:)

bkay,

Everybody makes mistakes. The difference is that some will not admit to them. Your efforts to get to the bottom of the question and sharing the results, even with the chance that you may have been mistaken, are admirable.

Thank you,

Jon

bkay,
I looked at my Paul's Glory this morning. It's doing the same thing that your plant is doing. You've got a Paul's Glory there.

Steve

Steve, I was thinking the same thing too. This hosta seems to be doing the same thing my Paul's Glory did it's first year. I was nervous about HVX back then, but as Chris stated, the color from the veins is the correct color.
Gesila

Well, I went today to eat my words. After some thought, I realized it didn't matter if it tested positive or not, I was still mistaken. So, I took the brochure about HVX and photos of HVX infected plants and photos of the one I bought and explained the difference.

I won't do that again..it's a lesson well learned.

bkay