cedar apple rust

This is a gall, caused by the fungus Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae. Galls appear when an insect or fungus feeds off of a plant and somehow changes the plant's structure, causing it to produce abnormal growths, inside of which the insect or fungus then lives. Those "tentacles" are actually the spore-producing appendages of the fungus inside the gall.









It can defoliate trees and blemish fruit making them unmarketable. The CAR fungus requires two hosts, apple and eastern red cedar. it makes spots on the leaves of apple trees AND pear trees very much like the spots i've been having trouble with on the summercrisp and patten trees.

treatment seems to be sulfer. but is supposed to be applied when the blossoms are open and that has passed.