Whitethorn Disease

SparrowHawk

Hi All,

Came home from holidays to find part of an established whitethorn hedge had the attached lumps on them (photo here). Also has spread to some new bare-root whitethorns put down earlier this year - or it could have gone the other way around, but the established looks like it has got it first.

Have googled away but cannot find anything - hoping some of my fellow gardeners can help identify, and perhaps offer some solutions.

Thanks in advance,

SH

Marhay70

Hard to see but it could be rust, pick off and burn all affected leaves even those on the ground and continue to do that as you notice them. It is spread by spores so maybe a fungicidal spray might help, although that could be a big and expensive job.
It may or may not come back next year but making sure you get every affected leaf will play a big part in that, good luck.

lk67

Looks very like a gall of some type...

Hawthorn do get a gall but I don't think this is the usual one.

Delphinium

Could be fireblight. Do google search to check and if it looks like it you need to follow dept of agriculture insrtuctions.

lk67

Not fire blight. That causes new growth to dry out and the tips to curl up in a crook shape. Those growths don't appear.

Dog walker 1234

I agree definitely not fire blight. My tuppence worth would be whitethorn gall.

SparrowHawk

Hi All,

thanks for all the input - have looked into the Whitethorn gall - looks to be it. From reading it seems that spraying with an insecticide might help at this stage - but as galls are already formed/ forming may be to late. Any suggestions as to brands?

Thanks again,

SH