A gentleman did just that, and brought in a sample of some weird growths that were growing on an oak tree. The growths were oak galls.
Galls are abnormal plant growths caused by various organisms. Insect and mite galls are caused by chemicals produced by certain wasps, mites, aphids, psyllids, adelgids or flies. Other types of galls are sometimes caused by nematodes, fungi, bacteria or viruses. Galls of different sorts can take on wildly different and bizarre appearances.
Usually, galls caused by arthropods do not cause too much of a problem for the plants on which they occur. If the galls become very numerous, especially on very young plants, they might compete too much for plant nutrients or interfere with photosynthesis. Some of the galls stimulated by other types of organisms are more serious, and at times we do try to get them identified.
I didn’t have to identify the exact cause of this gentleman’s oak galls. Galls of many sorts are common on oak trees. Treatment is seldom suggested because these galls very seldom do damage to the tree and because treatment would be difficult. Oak trees get big, and treatments would have to coincide with the causal organism's activity before the gall is formed – often a difficult timing to determine.
For more information:
Galls on Oak, from Penn State:
Insect and Mite Galls, from University of Minnesota:
Common Oak Galls, from the University of Kentucky:
Enjoyed your site very much! Thank you! Keep up a good work! :-))
! 8-)) Keep up a good work!
It is pretty! 8-) Keep up a good job!
Marvelous and nice site! ;-)) Keep up your site!
I love this post and the comparisons you have made.
I love this post and the comparisons you have made are absolutly true.
I like the comparisons you have made. Absolutly true.
Have tou ever tried whiskey with blue pill. Cool.
Purcshase, order Aventyl