My wife picked some of these up today at the lumberyard. She wants to put them in a window box that we have located next to a crepe myrtle that provides all day shade. Would they be ok planted in some of the bagged topsoil I have if I mix a lot of perlite with it? I also plan to line the bottom of the window box with some small rock I have.

I would be cautious about 'Halcyon' purchased at any place other than a good hosta nursery as it's one of the varieties with a high incidence of Hosta Virus X. And sometimes HVX doesn't show symptoms in 'Halcyon'.

Thanks for that info Ann.

I have a 'Halcyon' in a container and as far as I know, it seems healthy. I've had it for maybe 3 years now. I don't have a lot of hostas and the few that I have are in containers. Is there a way to tell if one of my hostas has HVX?

1st picture was taken in April 2016. 2nd was taken in April 2018 (at 7 pm).

There are test strips available but they aren't inexpensive. Might see if any local nurseries have them and would sell one or two. But I'd be inclined to simply grow them in a pot for several years to keep watch.

So no apparent telltale signs to look out for? Also have Striptease and sooner or later I'll remember the name of the other. So is it mostly Halcyon (that I always forget how to spell) that's hard to spot the HXV?