Leaf and Flower Gall

Exobasidium vaccinii

135 host plants

Last updated

Data Maturity Structured

This profile synthesizes data from multiple published sources. Expert field review is in progress.

Rhododendron new growth becomes succulent white galls that shrivel and brown, caused by Exobasidium spores at bud break. The fungus requires moisture during budbreak. Remove galls before they turn white, reduce greenhouse humidity, and select less susceptible cultivars. Cultural control is most practical.

Remove and destroy galls before they turn white. Reduce greenhouse humidity. Remove infected material promptly and improve growing conditions to limit pathogen spread. Good sanitation, adequate spacing, and proper irrigation practices reduce disease pressure over time.

Quick Reference

Causal Agent
Exobasidium vaccinii
Host Plants
135
Spread
Basidiospore dispersal; spores overwin on bud scales and bark.
Favorable Conditions
Spring ascospore release during bud break and early bloom; cool wet condition...

Management

Vulnerability Window

Spring during bloom (BBCH 60-70). Young flower and leaf tissue most susceptible.

What Triggers Infection

Spring ascospore release during bud break and early bloom; cool wet conditions favor infection.

Cultural Controls

  • Remove and destroy galls before they turn white.
  • Reduce greenhouse humidity.
  • Select less susceptible cultivars.

Host Plants (135)

Adenium obesum Desert Rose, Desert Azalea, Mock Azalea Menziesia ciliicalyx var. multiflora Mock Azalea, Menziesia Menziesia ferruginea Rusty Menziesia, Fool's Huckleberry, False Azalea Rhododendron 'Elizabeth' Elizabeth Rhododendron Rhododendron 'Purple Gem' Purple Gem Rhododendron Rhododendron airy Rhododendron, airy Rhododendron alabamense Alabama Azalea Rhododendron alice Alice Rhododendron Rhododendron anah Rhododendron, anah Rhododendron anna Rhododendron, anna Rhododendron april Rhododendron, april Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomeum Cinnamon Rhododendron Rhododendron argosy Argosy Rhododendron Rhododendron augustinii Augustine Rhododendron Rhododendron auriculatum No common name (R. auriculatum) Rhododendron beauty Rhododendron, beauty Rhododendron bibiani Bibiani Rhododendron Rhododendron blue Rhododendron, blue Rhododendron boule Rhododendron, boule Rhododendron bow Rhododendron, bow Rhododendron bric Rhododendron, bric Rhododendron bureavii Bureau Rhododendron Rhododendron campylocarpum subsp. coloxanthum Coloxanthum Rhododendron Rhododendron catawbiense Catawba Rhododendron Rhododendron cheer Cheer Rhododendron Rhododendron chevalier Rhododendron, chevalier Rhododendron christmas Rhododendron, christmas Rhododendron cinnabarinum Cinnabar Rhododendron Rhododendron concinnum Concinnum Rhododendron Rhododendron cotton Rhododendron, cotton Rhododendron crater Rhododendron, crater Rhododendron crest Crest Rhododendron Rhododendron cunninghams Rhododendron, cunninghams Rhododendron cynthia Cynthia Rhododendron Rhododendron daphnoides Daphnoides Rhododendron Rhododendron dauricum Dauricum Rhododendron Rhododendron davidsonianum Davidsonianum Rhododendron Rhododendron day Rhododendron, day Rhododendron deciduous Rhododendron, deciduous Rhododendron defines Rhododendron, defines Rhododendron delaware Rhododendron, delaware Rhododendron dora Rhododendron, dora Rhododendron dreamland Dreamland Rhrododendron Rhododendron el Rhododendron, el Rhododendron elisabeth Rhododendron, elisabeth Rhododendron falconeri subsp. falconeri Falconer Rhododendron Rhododendron fantastic Fantastic Rhododendron Rhododendron formosum var. formosum Formosum Rhododendron Rhododendron forrestii subsp. forrestii Forrest Rhododendron Rhododendron fortunei subsp. discolor Fortune Discolor, Discolor Rhododendron Rhododendron frilly Rhododendron, frilly Rhododendron gartendirektor Rhododendron, gartendirektor Rhododendron girards Rhododendron, girards Rhododendron goldflimmer Goldflimmer Rhododendron Rhododendron grace Rhododendron, grace Rhododendron groenlandicum Labrador-tea, Labrador Tea Rhododendron haematodes subsp. haematodes Haematodes Rhododendron Rhododendron hallelujha Hallelujah Rhododendron Rhododendron hanceanum Hanceanum Rhododendron Rhododendron hardijzer Rhododendron, hardijzer Rhododendron harry Rhododendron, harry Rhododendron hino Rhododendron, hino Rhododendron hinode Rhododendron, hinode Rhododendron hippophaeoides var. hippophaeoides Hippophaeoides Rhododendron Rhododendron hodgsonii Hodgson Rhododendron Rhododendron honourable Rhododendron, honourable Rhododendron horizon Rhododendron, horizon Rhododendron hotei Hotei Rhododendron Rhododendron irroratum Irroratum Rhododendron Rhododendron jock Jock Rhododendron Rhododendron johnstoneanum Rhododendron, johnstoneanum Rhododendron keiskei Keiskei Rhododendron, Keisuki Rhododendron Rhododendron ken Rhododendron, ken Rhododendron kiusianum Kiusianum Azalea, Kyushu Azalea Rhododendron lacteum Lacteum Rhododendron Rhododendron lees Rhododendron, lees Rhododendron lems Rhododendron, lems Rhododendron lights Rhododendron, lights Rhododendron loderi Rhododendron, loderi Rhododendron luteiflorum Luteiflorum Rhododendron Rhododendron lutescens Lutescens Rhododendron Rhododendron luteum Pontic or Pontica Azalea Rhododendron macabeanum Macabeanum Rhododendron Rhododendron macrophyllum Pacific Rhododendron Rhododendron moonstone Moonstone Rhododendron Rhododendron mrs Rhododendron, mrs Rhododendron mucronulatum Rhododendron, mucronulatum Rhododendron myrtifolium Myrtifolium Rhododendron Rhododendron niveum Niveum Rhododendron Rhododendron northern Rhododendron, northern Rhododendron occidentale Western Azalea Rhododendron orbiculare subsp. orbiculare Obiculare Rhododendron Rhododendron orchid Rhododendron, orchid Rhododendron oreotrephes Oreotrephes Rhododendron Rhododendron oudijks Rhododendron, oudijks Rhododendron pachytrichum Pachytrichum Rhododendron Rhododendron peekaboo Peekaboo Rhododendron Rhododendron pink Rhododendron, pink Rhododendron pioneer Rhododendron, pioneer Rhododendron pjm P.J.M. Rhododendron Rhododendron point Rhododendron, point Rhododendron ponticum Rhododendron, ponticum Rhododendron president Rhododendron, president Rhododendron prinophyllum Roseshell Azalea, Pinkshell Azalea Rhododendron prunifolium Plumleaf Azalea Rhododendron quinquefolium Quinquefolium Azalea Rhododendron racemosum Racemosum Rhododendron Rhododendron ramapo Ramapo Rhododendron Rhododendron rosamundi Rosamundi Rhododendron Rhododendron roseum Rhododendron, roseum Rhododendron rosy Rhododendron, rosy Rhododendron roxieanum var. oreonasters No common name Rhododendron rubiginosum Rubiginosum Rhododendron Rhododendron sappho Sappho Rhododendron Rhododendron scarlet Rhododendron, scarlet Rhododendron schlippenbachii Royal Azalea Rhododendron serpyllifolium Wild Thyme, Azalea Rhododendron serpyllifolium var. albifolrum White Wild Thyme, Azalea Rhododendron sinofalconeri Sinofalconer Rhododendron Rhododendron sinogrande Sinogrande Rhododendron Rhododendron smirnowii Smirnow Rhododendron Rhododendron snow Rhododendron, snow Rhododendron stenopetalum Rhododendron, stenopetalum Rhododendron taurus Taurus Rhododendron Rhododendron temple Rhododendron, temple Rhododendron thomsonii subsp. thomsonii Thomson Rhododendron Rhododendron tri Rhododendron, tri Rhododendron trilby Trilby Rhododendron Rhododendron unique Unique Rhododendron Rhododendron vulcan Vulcan Rhododendron Rhododendron wardii Ward Rhododendron Rhododendron white Rhododendron, white Rhododendron wiltonii Wilton Rhododendron Rhododendron winsome Winsome Rhododendron Rhododendron yakushimanum Yak Rhododendron