Gooey Orange Tree Squids for $100

It has been very, very rainy here of late & aside from the regular myriad of suck that comes along with that much rain (ie: MUD), we had a funny thing happen on the way to the forum......or in my backyard, which some days is the same thing.  

We were invaded by:

GOOEY ORANGE TREE SQUIDS 

which were later determined to be, in fact, 

CEDAR APPLE RUST SPORES

Which still sounds intergalactic.

While enjoying a brief ray of sunshine on my deck, during a deluge lull, 

it appeared that the pine tree, nee cedar tree 

in the far back corner, a ways away, 

was being parasitized, by what I thought were large bag worms- also common this way.

So, I got off my lounger & hiked to the back 40.

Up close, there were no bag worms.......

& I said to myself, 

"Self, you aren't in kansas anymore".

Upon googling the obvious,

Gooey Orange Tree Squid,

wouldn't you know that several similar pictures popped up 

& I was suddenly less worried that:

A. We were being invaded

B. Koosh balls actually grow on trees 

Then, Just because one of the perks of Missouri is a

 GREAT Conservation Department 

That will answer any nature related query,

I emailed them.

& No joke, 

I got a response back in less than 24 hrs,

by my local & professionally trained agent.

Super cool.

Hello, thanks for the email regarding your evergreen tree

Thanks for the good picture.  Yep, this is definitely cedar apple rust, a fungus.   

This fungus goes from cedar to fruit trees and usually only causes issues with the fruit trees.  But the fungus can be controlled on the fruit trees if needed.

As for it being poisonous – specifically to chickens I wouldn’t be able to say.  Sorry.  However, I’ve had chickens myself and have cedar trees in my yard with the fungus on it and never directly noticed a chicken getting sick or dying – but that’s just my general observation.  If the tree is small enough and you can reach the limbs you could pick the little growths off – which would help your tree and maybe reduce your concerns for your chickens.

They are fairly common but don’t occur every year on the same tree.   The knots or growths can kill the limb from that point to the tip but usually they are harmless to the cedar.  However the fungus is a bit more of an issue for fruit trees – especially apples. 

Like I mentioned if you can reach them, hand picking before they produce the orange gel is a good way to reduce their effects on either tree.

The orange ooze you are seeing is the reproductive spore stage.  The spore is really light weight and can be carried for miles on the wind.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to stop by or call my office at .................