Advice

RHS Help & Advice

Camellia gall (Exobasidium camelliae, E. giganteum)

Symptoms

Creamy coloured swellings or galls appear on the foliage of camellias in late summer to autumn. These develop in the place of leaves. Shrivelled pieces of leaf may remain at the tips of the galls.

The galls may be round or rugby-ball-shaped and up to 15cm (6in) in length. Some can be forked or hand-like. They are firm in texture becoming softer with age, and their surface is smooth or wrinkled.

The surface of the gall is covered in spores, which give it the creamy colouration. Beneath this layer it is green in colour.

Cause

Galls are caused by the fungi Exobasidium camelliae or E. giganteum. The appearance of galls is favoured by damp weather, which encourages the development of the spores.

Although unsightly the disease does not affect the health of the plant.

Control

Remove and destroy the galls as soon as they are seen to reduce the spread of the fungus. Ideally, this should be done before the spores develop.

No chemical control is necessary.