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Fruit & Orchards

Choke Cherry Leaf Growth

12 years ago

My wife and I recently purchased a house with a number of choke cherry trees in the backyard. We've noticed that most of these trees have a growth on their leaves. The density varies, some have just a small number of growths, some like in the picture below are almost completely covered with them. This picture is of a leaf I pulled off earlier today so it has dried out a bit. Normally the growths on the leaves are the same color of green as the rest of the leaf.

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Any ideas what these are and what we can do about them?

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Comments (3)

denninmi
12 years ago
It's a gall. Probably caused by a fungus, but possibly by a small microscopic wasp, mite, or other critter.

Really, its only a cosmetic problem. Overall, I think the general recommendation is to do nothing, because it won't really hurt the trees, and its kind of expensive and hard to spray a large tree.

If you do want to attempt some control next year, you'll have to find out exactly what organism is causing it, and what the specific control method and timing is. Most likely, if its a fungus, you'll have to spray with a specific fungicide prior to bud break in the spring.
hillbilly_hydro
12 years ago
it is cherry leaf gall mites nothing you can do this year but pick the leaves next year hit it with a good dormant oil early
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I have a dozen or two of Prunus virginiana in the wild area in the back of my lot. They are amongst the few natives that are growing back there, in an area that has been colonized by many invasive non-natives! In fact, I have rescued many of the Choke cherries from the strangling vines of Oriental bittersweet. They are about 30-40 years old and still going strong. None of them are suckering, they are all growing as small trees. Not sure why? Choke cherry is not a terribly ornamental tree - I wouldn't grow it as a garden specimen. But they are great for the wild area. They are about a week away from flowering right now - but here is a photo of the blooms from last year. I have never really paid attention to the berries or whether the birds eat them. I think I will pay closer attention this year.
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mbcullen
Original Author
12 years ago
When you say pick the leaves, do you mean to pull off the leaves that have them?

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