Ornamental & Tree Diseases
Many of the leaves on my azaleas have become thickened and formed whitish, fleshy gall-like growths. What causes these galls, and what can I do about the problem?
These growths result from infection by the fungus which causes a disease known as azalea leaf gall. The best control measure is to remove the galls when they're first noticed shortly after flowering. The galls are formed on new growth, and hand removal can be done easily when there are only a few galls present. If the galls aren't removed, chances are the disease will become more severe the following season. Galls should not be discarded in the vicinity of the plants. When galls are too numerous for hand removal, a fungicide spray program is advisable.
