I just bought a place with 5 acres. Along one side is an old fence and a cedar tree is growing by the fence. It is only about ten feet tall and five feet in diameter, with the classic Christmas tree shape. It appears to be a decorative type of cedar someone planted. It is not eastern red cedar, but it does have cedar berries and they are a dark blue color and quite small. Today, I noticed these large tumor-like growths on two of the twigs. Has anyone seen these before?
Mike
Could be cedar-apple rust http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/factsheets/treefruit/diseases/car/car.asp
Unless you have apple or crabapple trees within a mile or two radius of the cedar, it will not present much of a problem. The cedar acts as the incubator/host for the fungus...in Spring, when it starts to rain the galls on the cedar will swell and form fruit...then spores that travel to the apple, crabapple and quince or hawthorn if apples aren't around.
Mostly folks treat the apples, etc with fungicide in the Spring to break the cycle. In searching around, there is little treatment mentioned for the cedar tree...removal of the rust balls and removal of the cedar seem to be the common practices. This link gives the life cycle info.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnosporangium_juniperi-virginianae
Thank you. That is exactly what it looks like. I do have an old apple tree on the property that is in bad shape. This must be a contributing factor. Going hunting ...
Mike
You are most welcome. Happy Hunting...grin
