I would buy it, its only $1.50, but make sure its not diseased. I have a Frances Williams of about five years old and he comes from Wal-Mart. He is huge. He does occasionally get the brown edges around the leaves, but Frances Williams is famous for that.
Our Wal-Mart never has anything that looks good and is cheap like that!!

Good luck!! What else do they have???

Michelle

The name of the hosta is Frances Williams. With an E. It is known to get spring dessication. Walmart? You decide. I would not buy it.

-Babka

Well, y'know, Brandy, you DO keep pots as opposed to planting them in the ground, so my guess your option is fairly safe, as far as I know. I don't buy from there anymore cause my local places have dirty plants.

But the way I'm assuming it would go if you got one; You'd keep it in a pot by itself, just don't share any tools without washing in bleach, etc etc (I know you know that now) keep it a little farther away from your prized, clean plants, and just grow 'em. If they are clean, all the better, if they show something that looks 'wrong', show us the pics and also to Hallson Gardens, and we give you our expert and un-expert opinions on what is seen on your plant.

It's only a 1.50 of a gamble, done right, so in my opinion, it's a reasonable risk. Just keep em a little farther away than your others (dont let the plants touch each other too much, if you can help it. In your style of gardening in pots, it can and is done safely....Jo comes to mind, Mocc comes to mind, among others I can't remember at this time who can give you excellent advice about it.

Good Luck, Young Lady : )

iiViva Hostas!!

Don B.

Frances Williams is a She. I VERY important person in the history of hosta hybridization. Look her up.

-Babka

I am in a teasing mood, and wanted to add...
"At that price you can afford to eat it with your salad"

:)

Babka, I know Frances Williams is a she and I know she is an important person in hybridization. I always use the term "HE" for some reason or another. Even when I talk about trees, everything is always a "HE". Just something I say and write I guess. And I must say that plant is a wonderful grower for me, "SHE'S" very astonishing and beautiful. How about that?? lol

Hi, Brandy! I am thinking the same as Don! Here's why.

In spring of 2011 I purchased a Hydon Sunset and Dream Queen at Walmart. Then in spring of 2012 I picked up a Fire and Ice. Dream Queen died in a pot over winter so I can't attribute its loss to a virus per se. However, both HS and Fire and Ice are doing exceptionally well, so far. They were both been planted in the ground when I first bought them, (I was unaware of HVX until late 2011) then potted last fall. They will remain in pots until next year. If they are still clean, I will replant them.

We DO take risks by buying from big box stores, but if we are diligent in our care, we should be able to enjoy these hostas just as much as if we paid upwards of $20 per hosta from a reputable grower/nursery.

I have expensive and inexpensive hostas all growing equally well in my garden - they don't know the difference. They grow well, are happy and disease free to date. I have 5-yr old Junes and Golden Tiaras and Sum and Substance that came from a grocery store. They are stunning and healthy to this day. They were planted long before I knew about the virus. I've moved them around, divided them, and they are fine. Maybe I've been lucky.

This year Walmart had ADG and DQ. I got 3 DQ's and a BA that should have been an ADG. So I went to my grocery store and picked up a real ADG. All look great so far. I'm watchful.

You probably are familiar with the saying, Brandy....forewarned is forearmed. You can buy if you choose as you are aware of the risks.

Still, all in all, Don couldn't have said it better though. :-)

The Fire and Ice bought in 2012 went into the ground automatically even though I had learned about the virus from a hosta grower six months before. I realized after that I shouldn't have planted it so it got potted. It remains so. It is flawless so far and the "whitest" hosta I own.

If I didn't already have a few FW's, and I could pick one up for $1.50 I would.
You have to decide whether you can stand the desiccation that occurs. She is a big beauty, even with the battle scars! Lol

The Walmart here is known for having good and healthy hostas. I know many who only shop here for their hostas. I went back for Francis Williams (no "E"s or anything else, it just said Francis Williams). She was gone! I knew she would be... Once Walmart reduces prices, the hostas fly off the shelves! I did get one, though. For $2.50... I got a Wolverine and I looked it up while I was in the store. It's labeled correctly! Very nice looking plant!! I need another "boy" plant! So I am happy with my choice. And for $2.50 you can't beat the price!

They had Stingrays (too much like F&I for me) and they had a couple of Krossa Regals left... Some Auereomarginatas and some Halcyons, too. I didn't give the Halcyons a second glance. Not blue at all!! More like a dull green. No thank you!

I will post pics of Wolverine tomorrow!

I once introduced something to my yard which was on a S&S which was not S&S and which I got from Walmart. We shop there a lot, but not for plants. Though I bought several FWs from Home Depot and they are fine, one is a monster and impressive, so what when it gets a little brown on some leaves, can not notice it. Bernd

Yes, Brandy, they spell the name WRONG. Walmart is noteable for selling mis-named hostas. It is no doubt because of their suppliers. But you know better, after year of hanging around hostas here, that there is only one FrancEs Williams hosta. The other is just sloppy naming by people who don't know any better. Once you read about what Frances Williams did for hostadom you won't ever be able to write her name w/o an E.

Hostacats- Yup I know the problem calling everything "him" I had two sons and male cats, and the only time I ever refer to a hosta as a "she" is if it has a female name. All the rest are "he"s to me too. Just like my tomatoes. ;-)
-Babka

Here is a link that might be useful: Who was Frances Williams in the world of hostas

Hahahaha Babka, I have four male cats and everything is a "HE". Even though I know the neighbors have a female dog, the "HE" always comes out!! That's why all hostas are referred to as "HE'S" I guess I just can't help it. LOL.
I've done lots of reading on hostas, and believe it or not the other big nursery in town here I went to the other day and they had no clue what I was talking about when I mentioned the hosta virus. The what they asked, The HVX virus in hostas. I showed them pictures on my phone and inspected their expensive hostas, and told them they were fine, just dried and sunburned!! lol......The owner offered me a job.......really???
The Frances Williams I have is from Wal-Mart from about five years ago. "SHE" is huge!!

Michelle

I looked up Wolverine to make sure it was the right one. I believe it is. I think he'll be a good addition. But the Clifford's Stingrays... They are labeled wrong. I would say they are Fire and Ice. The others were probably labeled correctly? I don't know about the Halcyon? It looked very dull green to me. I thought "Maybe too much sun" but I don't think so. My deepest blues don't ever get that green in sun. Anyway, here's a pic of Wolverine's leaves close up.

Awesome picture of Wolverine. I am getting that one from Ontario, should be here any day. Looking forward to that one and nine others!!!

Michelle

Just bought this frances williams yesterday. Was on sale for $1.99 at walmart. With the HVX virus how long does it take to show up? I'm new to gardening and hostas. The last couple weeks i've been buying new hostas as I find them, from garden centers, box stores, even the local gas station (more like a farmers market). I have been planting them assuming they were healthy because they looked healthy. Should I not have done that? I have two pretty large orders from online vendors coming that are promised virus free. I dont want to ruin those plants if i've made a noob mistake.

Bungalomonkeys, I am fairly new to hostas too. Been doing it for about five years, and I bought what looked good, from box stores or nurseries. I never bought online until this year. AND this year is when I noticed I have HVX in some of my hostas, and these are all from a local nursery that closed down last year. Most of my 250 hostas appear to be disease free, but I had five that showed symptoms. I am also new to the forum, because I didn't know about the disease, and kept checking on computer for what it could be and I was always directed to this site. I joined and people have been very helpful to me.....now that being said I am not the one to be able to tell you what to do or not to do, there are way more experienced people on here who have been dealing with hostas for years.
Good luck and hope you don't get the HVX like I did. So far my Wal-Mart ones have not gotten it.

Michelle