I have a forsythia tree that has ugly brown balls on its branches. Is it a fungus and what do I do about it?

I noticed that the plant did not flower as it used to so I figure that it has been affected by these growths. I have now cut most of them off, but I want to protect the tree.

I have a forsythia tree that has ugly brown balls on its branches. Is it a fungus and what do I do about it?
To answer your question directly, you are right, these "balls" or "galls" as they are known by, are a bacterium. If these galls as are located near the "base" of the stems at ground level, they are called "crown galls". If they are located higher up on the stems like I think yours are, the culprit is "stem galls". The bacterium will usually attack a shrub that has been injured in some way or that is stressed due to cultural practices or an environmental factor. Protecting the plant from injury, providing a good growing environment along with proper cultural care, will help alleviate this problem. However, if your forsythia is not flowering, I would reckon to say that it is pretty well had it. It's your call as too try and nurse it back or call it quits and replace it, as there is no known chemical cure.





Added Info: for your own peace of mind here is a link from Oregon State University, my old "Alma Mater".. Click onto the picture for a close up of the stem galls. These galls are in fact on a forsythia shrub.


http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/disea...


http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/image...





...$Billy Ray$
Reply:You will not be able to protect the tree but you can reduce the chance of these galls growing by giving it some fertilizer, preferably some nice crumbly manure to help it grow more strongly but failing that some pellet-type manure - but not too much.


These galls are very common on forsythia and they do not affect the flowering.