Leaf Elephantiasis??!!!

Ok, so several of my bushes have what looks like elephantitis for plants. Some of the leaves become abnormally thick and fat looking. Eventually it kills the entire end of the stem after it looks to have infected the leaf and those on the same sprig. When dying or after, they all turn black and have a blank powdery mold-like substance that will get on your hands if you touch them. I have no clue what it is or how to treat it so was hoping someone could help identify the issue so I would know what actions I should take.

Right now I have noticed it on a few of my azalea leaves as well as several of my camellias. Attached are pics from both plants, both before they die and turn black and after.

Any help is appreciated.

Stacy

Looks sort of like sooty mold to me. Try applying Neem oil.

Hmm....that would definitely explain the black powdery substance and even the yellow spots on some of the leaves, as they are in fact under a large pecan tree, and according to wikipedia that can contribute to the plants around getting this and even having the yellow spots.

But.....I'm not sure, as I don't see where it mentions the "elephantitis" part as a symptom of sooty mold, and the black moldy substance is only found on leaves of the plants that were all swollen...and only after they die. It's like the black mold is a byproduct of the leaf swelling up and dying.

You can see in the last pic I have there how two of the camillia leaves on that one sprig is swollen and looks stretched even because it's so fat. You can snap it into and the leaf is just thick and watery inside. The entire leaf actually becomes larger, it's crazy. It almost looks plasticy and shiney and fake looking. From what I've seen, if one leaf becomes "infected" then the others on that same sprig will eventually as well. It starts at the stem (the swelling) and eventually extends to the entire leaf.

I've never seen anything like it.

This message was edited May 17, 2014 7:41 PM

Just found it online!!! It's Leaf Gall....and commonly is seen on azaleas and camillias. Here is what I found out on this:

"It is indeed the same disease: camellia (or azalea) leaf gall. It is caused by the fungus Exobasidium spp.. Your plants were infected last year when spores from a similarly swollen camellia leaf were released. There is not much you can do for the problem now other than pick off and destroy the affected leaves.

The best treatment is to pluck off the mal-formed leaves, put them in a plastic bag and put them in the garbage. Do not simply drop them on the ground. Finish the job before the galls turn gray, the stage when new spores are produced. If you want to protect the buds for next year, spray with a landscape fungicide (click for sources) just before new leaves unfurl in spring and again ten days later. Leaf galls rarely do permanent damage to the plant."

I found that on the following site: http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/azalea-and-camellia-leaf-gall/ , so all credit goes to WalterReeves.com and whoever answered those questions on that site. Either way I wanted to share the answer and suggested treatment in case anyone else ran into this issue.

Thanks for all the help!!

I'm glad you figured it out! I have seen leaf gall before but the spores I have seen were more grey and in your pictures to me they looked black(could be the lighting in the pictures?) The black color is what had me stumped. Usually the black mold is sooty mold that grows on honeydew from a pest like scales or aphids which can often attack the growing points hence the recommendation to use Neem which would control both of those pests and suppress the fungus.

But since you strictly have a fungal disease I would use copper pre bud break and then chlorothalonil at 7-10 day intervals.

Anytime you can remove the spores or innoculum you are reducing the chances of future disease.

Good luck!

Thank you!!!!