Hosta virus X


Hosta virus X is a virus that infects Hostas. The disease was first identified in 1996 by plant pathologists at the University of Minnesota. The virus has reached epidemic proportions and can be found in most garden centers and nurseries around the globe.

Emergence

Hosta virus X began showing up in nurseries in the late 1990's and early 2000's. People bought the infected hostas, believing that they were new breeds of the plant. Hosta breeds such as "Break Dance," "Eternal Father," "Leopard Frog," "Blue Freckles," and "Lunacy" were not actual breeds, but instead were Hostas infected with Hosta virus X that were mistakenly believed to be new breeds. Some of the Hostas infected with the virus were taken to Europe, where they were grown.
Eventually, the virus reached the Hosta wholesale stock in the Netherlands, the Hostas were then sold to other wholesale stocks around the world, and caused the virus to spread quickly.

Signs and symptoms

Hosta virus X does not kill the plants infected, but Hostas that have been infected do show a variety of other symptoms, such as:
Once a Hosta plant is infected, it will be infected for the rest of its life. Any plant suspected of being infected should be burned if it is legal to do so. If it is not, then it should tossed in the garbage, but infected Hosta plants should never be composted. If any plant in a batch shows symptoms, the entire batch should be considered infected and be destroyed. Once a plant has been removed, the spot occupied by the Hosta should be left empty for a long time to prevent the spread of the virus to a plant that replaces it.
The virus primarily spreads through infected sap, so cutting multiple plants with the same tool can spread the virus.