My son's trees have these things on them that look like nuts, but they aren't. When I opened one, it has a fiberous inside & there was a very small red worm less then an inch long. I've taken several pictures & will add them here.
Doesn anyone have any idea what these are? They are all over this three & are starting on the tree next to it.
This is a picture of more of the tree. I have 2 more pictures but won't post them, unless someone would like to see them. TIA for any help you can give me.
Jan in Central Illinois
Looks like a type of Gall. I found this PDF presentation of Conifer Diseases from the University of Illinois: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/tristate_2010/old_talks/locked/conifer_disease.pdf and if you go down several pages there's something that kinda resembles the problem shown in your image.
growin, that looks a lot like it, but is different. Perhaps we can send a sample to the Uof I and see what they think it might be.
Thanks for your help.
Jan
Send an email with your pics to the Extension and see what they say. I think your images are pretty explanatory.
A juniper with juniper-apple rust disease Gymnosporangium .juniperi-virginianae
Resin
Thanks Resin, the Cedar-Apple Rust gall looks the closest to it. I'll send the links to both of these to my son.
Jan
what about crab apples?
will the junipers hurt those or vice versa?
I just bought 3 juniper virginiana and I am hoping they are the plain ol wild ones like you find out in the woods everywhere.?
That particular rust needs two host species to complete its lifecycle. One being a juniper, and the other being an apple (or close relative). Crabapples are in the same genus as apples so they can be a host just like apples could. Here's some info: http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/cedar-applerust/cedar-applerust.htm
thanks!
For clarification, "Cedar-Apple Rust" is inaccurate, Juniper-apple Rust is a clearer name. It only attacks junipers (and apples), not cedars.
Resin
? the cedars I bought yesterday say 'RED CEDAR' on the tag, but then under that it says juniperus virginiana (or something like that :)
This is why knowing Latin names is important. Over here people use the common name cedar to refer to junipers but that is confusing because there are also real cedars (Latin name Cedrus). Since your "cedars" are actually junipers, they can be a host plant for this fungus, but a real cedar (Cedrus species) would not get this type of rust.
Yep. Correctly, the name Cedar should only be used for Cedrus; the nursery is in error to call a juniper a cedar. Should really prosecute them under trades descriptions legislation for mis-selling.
Resin
