yes ....

ken

Hi Carol,

Sorry to have to confirm your suspicion... classic symptom of HVX, that ink bleed from the veins. What a bummer, having invested four years of growth and now to lose it. I know how you must be feeling since I noticed HVX for the first time this year on my seven- year- old Blue Mouse Ears.

I'm sure you know the following about what to do but in case there are any newbies out there:

1. Dispose of the plant in the garbage and not in compost.
2. Sterilize your tools after digging the hosta.
3. Don't plant a hosta in the same spot.
4. Buy hostas from nurseries that are aware of and test for HVX.

If I've forgotten anything I'm sure the hosta veterans on this forum will chime in.

My condolences Carol. I just disposed of my Striptease this week. But mine had only been in the garden fora week or so. It is such a beautiful hosta - and especially at 4 years. So sorry for your loss.

What a sad day. I really love that plant. It's one of the first "fancy" hostas I added to my garden. Before I learned how many varieties there were and the addiction took hold. Anyone have a healthy one they can share with me?

I had to dispose of my Striptease a couple years ago too :( Too bad they are well known for having a high percentage of infected plants. I just replaced mine this year with a healthy specimen.

Sorry, but asking us to cut up our hostas made me shudder, lol! A lot of us use reputable mail order companies that order from growers with safe practices in place. Some of the top names mentioned are Hallson Gardens, Naylor Creek, and Land of the Giants. The bonus is you can find a lot of cultivars not available locally!

Hope my Striptease stays healthy. Planted in 2009 and crowding out Hanky Panky. Pic taken today.

Hope you get another one, Carol.

Carol, I'm sending a division to Saskatchewan later this month. You may have a free piece also, if you live in Canada...otherwise, I hope someone in the States (is the OH in your name referencing Ohio?) lives nearby that would share a piece with you. :-)

I'm sorry you got hit with HVX. :-(
Jo

Josephine, thanks for the offer, but I am in Ohio. I don't remember seeing striptease in my local nurseries, but then I really wasn't looking because I already had one! I guess I'll have to put it on my very long wish list.

After digging it up, I didn't realize just how hard it would be to put the plant in a trash bag and throw it away. I hope I never have to do that again.

I don't even know if I could either. Knowing me, I'd likely pot it up and let it grow, using it as a teaching tool for myself. I can't even trash prolific perennials...of any kind. I have several pots lined up against the fence...waiting for someone....but can't take them to the curb...yet.

Josephine, I post those extra plants on Freecycle. People even come to get the plain green hostas fast! Do you have anything like that near you?

How come it took 4 years for the plant to show symptoms of HVX?

DD

Eleven, thank you for the suggestion I am not sure if we do...I had better clarify...I was only offering in the spirit of "hostaforumfriendship" - i felt for Carol...I don't have hostas to give away per se....if I did, .those would go to close friends and relatives. I do have two good sized Striptease and one biggie is still not planted. It will have a few eyes removed for Sask.. :-). (Just spreading a little goodwill, that's all.)

The plant probably had symptoms in previous years that just went unnoticed. Early on the symptoms can be very faint, might only be in a couple areas, and won't really show up like this and on so many different eyes until it has been infected for a long time.

Carol, how far away are you in Ohio, maybe just over the Michigan border? I just remembered that a local hosta grower is having a sale in my town this weekend. I replaced my own Striptease with a fully mature one from him this year. He had tons of them. Message me and I can give you the info.