Orange "flowers" on Viburnum

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
Esther_z6 South Point, OH(Zone 6a) Apr 24, 2002

I had never noticed them before and on closer look there were these black-brown galls (?) with what looked like orange tentacles about an inch long coming out of it. It was so peculiar looking, when I showed DH later the orange stuff looked dried up and you could see little round openning all over the gall (?) from which it emerged.

Does anyone know what this is?

Post #27679
Quote
Miggy Long Island, NY(Zone 7a) Mar 04, 2003

This sounds like Cedar Apple Rust although I've never heard of a Viburnum being afflicted. They look like alien monster eggs don't they?

Post #482809
Quote
Esther_z6 South Point, OH(Zone 6a) Mar 06, 2003

Funny thing, I was waiting in line at the grocery or somewhere and idly looking at a magazine when I saw a picture of what I was describing - this is what it said:

Phomopsis Galls
The Plant Clinic recently received a very interesting case of galls on viburnum. We have also seen this on forsythia in past years. The galls are caused by the Phomopsis fungus but look very much like a systemic infection of crown gall or possibly a stem gall from an insect. If you have taken the Master Gardener classes, you know that if you cut into the gall and do not see any chambers, trails, or evidence of insect borings, disease is a good possibility. Phomopsis-induced galls are about 1 to 2 inches in diameter, rather round, and have a bumpy, roughened texture. They look like a cluster of nodules pressed tightly together. The gall is a mass of undifferentiated plant tissue and fruiting bodies (pycnidia) of Phomopsis. We did not see the fungus on the dry tissue, but the pycnidia were visible as black, pinhead-sized dots on tissue that was incubated in moist chambers overnight.

Phomopsis galls can occur on many tree and shrub species, including forsythia, viburnum, highbush blueberry, American elm, hickory, maple, oak, and privet. Gall size varies with the host species and time. If the galls girdle the twig, dieback results. Otherwise, very little is known about the disease cycle. The only control measures we can suggest are to prune out affected or dead branches and promote tree vitality through good horticultural practices.



Post #484006
Quote
Miggy Long Island, NY(Zone 7a) Mar 07, 2003

Wow fascinating. Thanks for posting all that info!

Post #484673
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Trees, Shrubs and Conifers Threads

Go to all Trees, Shrubs and Conifers threads
BACK TO TOP