Garden Calendar: Recognizing Hosta Virus X

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By Jennifer Smith
May 1, 2011

A healthy hosta, pictured, is winter hardy, heat- and drought-tolerant, and have few insect and disease problems. Symptoms of Hosta Virus X include the appearance of mosaics and lines, mottling and blotches on the leaves. Sometimes plant tissues pucker or twist and small brown lesions may form on the leaves.

Ask almost any gardeners what to plant in a shade garden, and hostas will be at or near the top of their list. The perennial flowers, sometimes referred to as hosta lilies, are winter hardy, heat- and drought-tolerant, and have few insect and disease problems.

A relatively new disease may change the hosta world, however. Hosta Virus X, an untreatable disease of hostas, is slowly but surely spreading in landscapes nationwide.

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