Satsuki mutated leaves??

[Danonito]

Hi all, I was away for a week and came back to my satsuki azalea forming these weird blobs at the base of random leaves. To say the least it looks creepy. What is it? It has been raining extensively in my area for being in mid July so maybe linked to that? I'd be glad to know whether to remove them or leave them.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Looks like azalea gall.

 

[Glaucus]

Exobasidium vaccinii causing azalea gall. Remove. If they are white, there are new spores. It is mostly self-limiting. The gall won't grow into other areas of the plant. The shoot will eventually turn black and die. The spores may infect other parts of your azalea. But that really depends on weather and cultivar. Kurume are more susceptible than satsuki.

They appear in late spring and summer when it has been a cloudy rainy week. I just saw a few on my non-satsuki.

 

[Danonito]

Thanks for the replies! I will remove it. Is there any reason this would suddenly appear? I've had this tree for 3 years and I've never seen such thing happen.

 

[rockm]

Thanks for the replies! I will remove it. Is there any reason this would suddenly appear? I've had this tree for 3 years and I've never seen such thing happen.

Azalea gall / RHS Gardening

Azalea gall attacks certain rhododendrons and azaleas out of doors and is often seen on indoor pot-grown plants of <em>Rhododendron simsii</em>, the popular Indian azalea, obtained from florists.

www.rhs.org.uk