Malus 'black magic' Tree - Ask Extension
Can you tell me what these balls are that are all over my Malus black magic tree limbs? There aren't any on the truck, but there is something else th...
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Malus 'black magic' Tree #792595
Asked May 25, 2022, 1:25 PM EDT
Can you tell me what these balls are that are all over my Malus black magic tree limbs? There aren't any on the truck, but there is something else there that I would like identified.
Franklin County Ohio
Expert Response
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/apple-crabapple-diseases/
I am not sure about the black balls on your tree. I am somewhat familiar with galls that may be round like these. If you cut one open and find a small wasp larvae inside..or evidence that there was one there which completed its cycle and exited..then you would have a workable hypothesis.
The other photo looks like several kinds of lichen have taken up residence there..lichen will not harm the tree. They are self sustaining, a combination of organisms which do no harm.
Lichen sometimes occur when there is little air pollution.
If you go online you can learn more abut lichen: add “edu” or “extension” to your word search.
Another gambit would be to send a sample of the tree balls to the Wayne Ellett Plant pathology lab. For a small fee they will diagnose your problem.
I will look further for information about the balls but galls could be the answer.
Please get back to us if you need more information.
I am not sure about the black balls on your tree. I am somewhat familiar with galls that may be round like these. If you cut one open and find a small wasp larvae inside..or evidence that there was one there which completed its cycle and exited..then you would have a workable hypothesis.
The other photo looks like several kinds of lichen have taken up residence there..lichen will not harm the tree. They are self sustaining, a combination of organisms which do no harm.
Lichen sometimes occur when there is little air pollution.
If you go online you can learn more abut lichen: add “edu” or “extension” to your word search.
Another gambit would be to send a sample of the tree balls to the Wayne Ellett Plant pathology lab. For a small fee they will diagnose your problem.
I will look further for information about the balls but galls could be the answer.
Please get back to us if you need more information.
