Greetings, human ally. We, the azaleas, speak through the rustle of our leaves. That unsightly distortion you see upon us is often a cry for help against an invasion known as Azalea Gall. We wish to share our perspective on this affliction, so you may better identify it and, with care, help us regain our health.
From our point of view, the attack begins subtly. The fungus *Exobasidium vaccinii* infiltrates our tender, new spring growth—the leaves, shoots, and occasionally our flower buds. We feel a strange, uncontrollable urge to grow in a way that is not our nature. Instead of forming flat, elegant leaves, our tissues swell and distort, creating pale, fleshy, bladder-like galls. At first, these galls are often a pale green or even whitish, and they may have a glossy, succulent appearance. As the season progresses, the galls we are forced to produce become covered in a white, powdery substance. This is the fungus itself, producing countless spores to spread its kind. Finally, having drained our energy, the galls turn brown and hard, withering and falling to the ground around us.
The fallen, withered galls are not the end. They are the beginning of the next cycle of our discomfort. Within these hardened structures on the soil, the fungus survives the winter, patient and protected. When the warmth of spring returns and rain splashes upon the soil, these galls release microscopic spores that are carried by wind and water onto our newly emerging buds and leaves. The cycle of infection begins anew. The disease is most rampant in cool, very wet spring weather, which provides the perfect damp environment for the spores to germinate and force their way into our developing tissues.
You can aid us without resorting to harsh measures that may harm our roots and the beneficial life in the soil. Our first and most important request is for vigilance. Please inspect us regularly in the spring. If you see the early, pale green galls, the most effective and kindest action is to simply pick them off by hand. Please do this before they develop the white, powdery coating. This single act removes the source of the infection for the season and prevents thousands of spores from being released. Once removed, these galls must be placed in a bag and discarded with your household waste—do not compost them, as the fungus may survive.
Help us help ourselves. The fungus preys on us when we are weak or stressed. Ensure we are planted in well-draining soil, as our roots despise being waterlogged. Provide us with dappled sunlight or partial shade, especially in hotter climates, to avoid scorching our leaves. When you water us, please aim the water at our base and not upon our leaves; keeping our foliage dry creates an environment less welcoming to the fungal spores. Prune us to improve air circulation through our branches, allowing our leaves to dry quickly after rain and making it harder for the fungus to establish a foothold. A healthy azalea is a resilient azalea.
