What is this? Cedar Apple Rust (Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae) is a fungal disease that needs both a cedar and an apple or crabapple tree to complete its two-year lifecycle. Initially, a gall develops on a cedar tree in the fall, then springs to life after the April rains, becoming a gelatinous, orange ball with tentacle-like appendages, releasing spores. These spores are carried by the wind to infect your crabapple or apple tree. Although the spores can travel up to five miles, the damage to your trees usually happens within a few hundred feet.
How do I fix it? If the galls on your cedar tree are few and can be reached, prune them off and dispose of them in the garbage. Clean up any infected apple tree leaves and dispose of them in the garbage (and not your compost pile).
Can it be prevented in the future? Find apple tree varieties that are resistant to cedar apple rust. Redfree, Liberty, William’s Pride, and Freedom are examples of new apple varieties that are immune to cedar-apple rust.
