crown rot on Hosta
Quick answer
If your Hosta has crown rot, the most likely cause is: Fungal pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii, which appears as white thread-like growth (mycelium) and tiny mustard-seed-like structures (sclerotia) at the base of the plant during hot, humid weather.
Start here:
- 1. Remove the infected hosta and a generous amount of surrounding soil (where sclerotia can live for years).
- 2. Do not replant hostas in the same spot unless the soil is sterilized or replaced.
Why Hosta gets crown rot
Hosta spp.
Fungal pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii, which appears as white thread-like growth (mycelium) and tiny mustard-seed-like structures (sclerotia) at the base of the plant during hot, humid weather.
How to reverse crown rot on Hosta
- 1
Remove the infected hosta and a generous amount of surrounding soil (where sclerotia can live for years).
- 2
Do not replant hostas in the same spot unless the soil is sterilized or replaced.
- 3
Use fungicides containing flutolanil or PCNB if the infection is caught early.
Keep crown rot off this Hosta
Avoid heavy organic mulches that touch the petioles of the hosta, as this creates the moist environment the fungus requires to attack the crown.