Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
moistbutwelldrained

Echinacea- Is Aster Yellows endemic in the South?

I purchased several echinacea this spring and summer, some from Lowes Hardware, some from a local garden center, and some from a perennial nursery... all here in central North Carolina. The aster yellows infection rate is quite high and I've thrown out half of my purchases along with crown cuttings made from infected plants.

I was particularly disappointed in the purchases from Lowes after having high hopes for the excellent cultivars they were selling at reasonable prices. The nursery guys tell me that infected plants are often dumped on unsuspecting buyers. Is that the problem or is this disease endemic in the South now? Is the reservoir of infection in native plants causing my problems? Should I throw out infected plants.... as the nursery tells me... or tolerate the infection as an unavoidable fact of life?
MBWD

Comments (3)

Sponsored
Ed Ball Landscape Architecture
Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars30 Reviews
Exquisite Landscape Architecture & Design - “Best of Houzz" Winner