A few days ago I found a "leapard" lily in my garden. After placing it in the ID Forum I learned that it was infected with the lily mosaic virus. Afterward, I started asking questions and inadvertently ended up hi-jacking another thread with the ensuing conversation. I thought I'd start this thread so that we could all discuss the virus.
Good topic.....I too would like to find out more. Here is a picture of an orienpet ...American Original?...that bloomed in my garden last year....does anyone think it might be the mosaic viris? Yikes...I just thought it was pretty.
Actually, I think that's how American Original is suppose to look. Here's the Lily Nook pic of AO.
Thanks Beaker!! Now I feel better!!! One thing i dont understand though....how can someone with over 250 varieties of lilys NOT have a digital camera? LOL
Because I don't have any money. Everytime I get a few dollars ahead, along comes a plant sale, LOL.
I'm really going to try and buckle down between now and fall. If I can just stay out of Linders. It's a half block walk from here to there and they have some kind of sale going on EVERY WEEK! I forgot, there's the Friend's School Plant Sale on the 12th. Well, right after the 12th, ....
I would have assumed it was just a variant of a lily. It doen't look 'sick'...in fact, I've seen plenty of flowers where this type of spotting was bred in. Perhaps this mosaic virus is some sort of genetic thing that is caused from trying to create new cultivars? Just thinking...and maybe I am full of mud....it just seems like the plant looks pretty and doesn't look stressed.
I personally believe the suppliers are sending bulbs that are already infected. I know I have several bulbs that are showing signs of this virus and I just got them last fall. So much for Dept of Ag. inspections.
It is sure costing me a ton of money to have to rip these bulbs out and replace them, not to mention the spread of the darn disease during the time it shows no symptoms, which means more destroying and replacing.
I agree with you llilyfan. I am sure I have received virused bulbs before, especially when they are Dutch imported. The Ag Depts won't be able to stop virused bulbs because the symptoms are in the flowers and foliage. I have a few I need to dig out soon as they don't look good at all.
Pard and Lilyfan, can you name names? Would you agree it's safer to buy from known growers such as B&D and the Lily Nook than places such as Dutch Gardens or Van Dykes who import their bulbs?
When I finally eradicate this "bug" from my garden, I am going to insist on bulbs grown in N. America and from well know suppliers who specialize in lilies. Clearly, inexpensive bulbs are NOT a bargain if they bring with them an increased risk of a disease that may wipe out 1/2 the garden.
My 1st diseased bulb opened about a week ago. A few days went by before I put the photo on the ID Forum and learned of the infection. Since then I have been to busy at work, getting home to late to take care of the removal. Today I found that I now have some 5 infected plants, all in the same area, pretty much side by side. Some or all may even be "children" of the same bulb, not sure. They are all red Asiatics. First thing Saturday I will dig them all up and "pray" this thing has not spread to Orientals and Orienpets. : (
Oh, and since I have learned that this virus effects some other plants like Echinaceas, tulips, etc now I'm seeing strange color patterns and growths on plants all over the place. Like this variegated hydrangea. The white variegation is normal, but those yellowish streaks don't look right, and check out those deformed leaves. Does anyone know if this virus effects hydrangeas?
Beaker, I don't know if it is "safer" to buy from our N. American growers but what I do know is that these folks are small farmers usually working just a few acres of lilies. They are specialists with a huge amount of knowledge about lilies. They walk their fields row by row and know what is going on. They rotate their crop and fumigate the soil. Of course the cost of doing this as a small business is reflected in the price. If the Dutch lily trade is anything like their tulip/spring bulb trade, the bulbs would be auctioned off right on the wharfs of the Netherlands.
When I started out buying lilies it was from Dutch outfits and no problems. That's how I got hooked so I thank them very much for getting me addicted:) The bad lilies I received was a mix of 30 asiatic/LAs (funny, they all looked exactly alike, some "mix"). Every single one opened virused. I didn't complain as they were ridiculously cheap and I know virus can show up and spread through LAs very quickly. In all fairness, I had previous lily orders from this company that were just fine and since I didn't ask them for resolution I choose not to disclose their name. It's not one of the usual suspects with a Dutchy name.
I ordered a few unusual asiatics from Van Bourgondien this spring, but for the most part I prefer to support our local growers and hybridrizers. They provide a very fresh and high quality product.
Scutler, maybe you need to look closely around your garden for aphids or other plant sucking insects. They spread the virus and need to be controlled. I dug out 3 of my virused lilies today and there is at least one more out there to get. I have had them for a long time and don't feel bad about it.
Before I knew about this virus, I felt that when I bought inexpensive bulbs my only risk was to the performance of those bulbs. Now that I know about the virus, for me, it is not worth the risk. I just feel that I have to be very careful where I buy lilies in the future. The majority of my lilies came from the vendors who are importing bulbs. It is likely that most of the bulbs I obtained from them are healthy, but as it only takes one, I'm no longer willing to take that risk. I buy a variety of plants and will likely continue to buy various perennials from those sources.
I have seen a few aphids in my garden. I have a good lady bug population so in the past, not knowing about the dangers of this virus, I have opted to ignore the occaisional aphid knowing that these biological controls will take care of them. Now that I know about the virus I will have to reconsider that policy.
In asking about the aphids, are you suggesting that the virus came to my garden in the 1st place via the aphids? Considering the large number of plants in my garden, all acquired in the last 5 years, it seems more likely to me that the aphids originated in my garden and then were spread by the aphids.This weekend I will dig up the effected plants and spray for aphids. Until I get this infestation under control, I'm going to defer purchases of additional lilies - just to cut my losses.
Edited to change irises to lilies, at this time of the AM I don't seem to be able to stay on topic.lol
This message was edited May 5, 2006 5:30 AM
It's hard to say, Scutler. It may have been an infected plant and the aphids spread it to your other plants or it could be that the aphids were already carrying the virus when they came to your garden. The whole idea of this is very scary. I would suspect a new bulb if it showed up in the new plant first. If it's showing up in established plantings first, I would suspect aphids.
Regarding your hydrangea, snip a leaf, put it in a baggie and take it to a local nursery. They should have someone on staff who can look at it and tell you what's going on. Make sure you do not take it out if the baggie when visiting the nursery.
Thanks, beaker_ch, I'll do that. Funny thing is the hydrangea is about to bloom which is unusual for the var varieties. Seeing that I was happy until I started to notice the distorted features.
Yes, this lily virus is very scarey, indeed. Last year I bought a few of almost every kind of lily available. Most of them are planted near the effected ones. I guess the only plus (trying to find a bright side) is that I don't like the way that I planted them. So if I have to start over, atleast this time I have a better idea of how to arrange them.
Yup, when life hands you a lemon, make lemonade!
scutler: For what its worth - my varigated hydrangea has many buds (zone 7b). I think this really warm, early spring did that. However you growth does look bad.
You could also take your pictures and a cutting to your extension office. They should know.
Here's what I got from the net about the lily virus and it's not much:
1. you can transmit the disease from flower to flower with your clippers. When cutting flowers (groan) carry a bucket of a 10% bleach solution to disinfect your clippers. You could have cut some other flower (with aphids) and then infected your lily when you cut it next.
2. aphids carry the disease - they chew the diseased sap and carry it to the next plant. This means it could have come from a neighbor down the street. Keep a really sharp eye for aphids and destroy them asap.
3. It could have come on the new bulb BUT just having twisted or streaked foliage could be the result of other things - the flower is your only sure way of telling. Dig and destroy the plant and bulb if you see the dreaded streaking and mottling on flower or bud. White lilies are just about impossible to tell about it.
4. Tiger lilies can be a carrier but do not show the disease.
There is a huge amount of written info on the net but not as many pictures as I would like. I really hate this.
I've never had this disease affect my lilies, as I'm pretty new to lilies. But last year and already this year, I'm finding it in my campanulas(which look like Scutler's hydrangea). Since last year when I found out it was a disease and contagious, I've had to rip out a good number of them. I hope it doesn't go to my lilies..................... :(
Steve
I too choose not to disclose names at this time. Some of my lilies were purchased from US Growers with very reputable names. Others I'm sure some were imported and then sold to me. I KNOW that these bulbs were sold to me diseased because they were spring purchased and planted and every single one of them was blotchy when it bloomed. The foliage displayed no mottling at all and not knowing what it was at that time I fear it may have spread throughout that entire bed and there are over 700 lilies in that garden.
The other sad aspect is that when I contacted the company, I WAS UNABLE TO GET ANYONE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY CALLS OR EMAILS. The other company which I did not contact messed up my entire order and I was just plain disgusted with them. I also know that some of the Canadian sellers are importing the bulbs they sell, because I was sent an email stating that their shipment from Holland was late so my order would be delayed.
I'm not sure there is an easy answer to all of this and it really saddens me.
I think I have this on one of my new Lillies.. should I dig it up and how fast will it spread...darn..... I just bought all these last year... about 40 varieties all in one bed... is the whole bed doomed...
Ronda
Not necessarily, Rhonda. However, you won't be able to tell until they bloom. You may be lucky and have only one or a few. I hope so.
Are you sure it's the tulip breaking virus; does your lily look like the one Scutler posted at the begining of this thread? I'm a little concerned because someone thought their orienpet was infected when it wasn't. If it is the virus, the lily needs to be destoyed (the entire plant) and be sure not to put it in any compost.
I was hoping the sun and rain might have caused the spots but I am not sure... I am new to Lilies.. This is LA lily Opening Night...
She is not very pretty nothing like she should be....
Thanks
Ronda
Darn...that doesn't look good. :(
I would say definately virus. Off with her head!!!!!!!!! (and the rest of her).
So sorry, Rhonda, it does look like it to me.
Is this virus relatively new - so that we are still trying to figure out some aspects of how to contain/avoid it?
I think I'm going to avoid buying any additional lilies until I have erradicated it from my garden. I guess I'll define "erradicated" as a few years without an outbreak. When I do buy again, I think I'll try to limit my acquisitions to a small number each year and "quarantine" them either in pots or a seperate bed for atleast the 1st year. For me that's what seems to make sense - try to get back to a virus free state and then treat newcomers as suspect.
I understand that it may have come from somewhere down the street via aphids, but given the large number of lilies I bought last year and the fact that in my community gardening is all but non-existant, the odds seem to favor this thing having come in on a bulb or other plant and then been spread by aphids. Or maybe I'm just hoping that's the case, because if it came from somewhere else in the community, then i have no control over it at all - and that IS scarey.
Here, BTW, is another, perhaps even stranger, picture of a bloom FROM THE SAME STALK as the one pictured at the top of this thread. So far, this one doesn't have any obvious streaks or splotches. It might even appear relatively normal except that it's supposed to be RED.
scutler, do you use Roundup near your lilies? Just wondering.
Will poison do this? I would think the plant would just up and die. Do you think a bulb could ever recover from something like that?
I was just thinking back to a discussion a couple of years ago at our lily symposium where I brought up the subject of my bad batch of lilies with virus symptoms. Apparently Roundup can cause color splotching when applied early as the lily is breaking ground. It doesn't kill the lily. I also have seen it distort iris blooms.
That's a bit of info good to know.
Ok, well that explains the last photo. I almost never use chemical weed killers; because I have so many plants so close together I favor pulling weeds where possible. Roundup is absolutely not the cause of the mottling seen in the 1st photo at the top of the page. However, once I realized that I needed to remove this entire group of lilies, I "tried" Roundup. It is not going to be easy to get in there to dig them up right now. (I didn't get it done Saturday like I said I would). So I got the dumb idea to "Roundup" them to death. After I hit this one with a few spritzes I realized that the application wasn't going well AND that I would STILL need to dig them up since I even if the Roundup killed the lily I could not be sure that it had also killed the virus. So the lily pictured in my last post IS a Roundup effected lily, but the one at the top of the thread is a virus effected lily.
thanks for the info. I learn SO much here at DG.
I have one lily in particular that is making me nervous ~ the foliage is very mottled and it's a long way from blooming. Any one know what TBV might look like on a white lily?
Picture, Moby?
Here is the lily in question. There is another lily of the same variety at the bottom of the pic. (please pardon my plantskydd)
You know, that might just be a nutrition problem. The discussion about virus is really heavy right now on the yahoo lily-list with lots of pics and "expert opinion from long-time lily growers. There have been a number of pics quite like this and the recommendations have been epsom salts or seaweed stuff.
Here are some pics of tulip breaking virus and mosaic virus.
http://members.shaw.ca/lilynet/netlil/id58.htm
LOL Seaweed stuff, huh?
What is this yahoo lily list?
Thanks a bunch, I'll take a look.
Ok, I just have to ask this. It has been on my mind since the start of this issue. You guys mentioned that this virus also effects Echinacea, causing growth from the top of the flower. The DoubleTop or DoppleGanger cultivar has extra petals eminating from the center. Surely, that behavior was not achieved by using this virus. Right? I know that would be too ridiculous, but I just had to ask. What about those Iris with the broken color patterns? Surely, they are not using the virus, but again I just had to ask.
Here is a link to a photo that I put in the ID Forum last summer http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1634422 It's a black-eyed susan with strange green stuff growing from the center. Is this the same virus? As per the advice I received on the ID Forum, I destroyed the plant immediately. However, if this is the same virus, it means I had it last summer, too.
Thanks for the link pardalinum.
I am relieved to say that I have NO lily foliage that looks like the picture on that link, I have however, had lilium flowers that looked like that in my home gardens and I removed them last year when I saw what they were doing just in case!
So how would you tell a Round-up damaged plant from one that is virused?
Yahoo lily-list:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Lilium/
You have to register and accept receiving posts via email to see the pictures. I have never had a problem with them (spam, etc). If you register you also can view the photo file on the left which contains a folder called "Lily disease" or something like that.
