Willow Roses?

[Suzan D]

Hello I live in Calgary Alberta I have recently discovered some "growths" on a couple of young willows in my yard. I call them Woses. The woses are growing on the tips of the branches and the leaves in no way resemble the others on the tree. I have been advised that these Woses are gall and have dissected one (I call it my sacrificial wose) in order to investgate, there is absolutely no evidence of insect larvae that I can see. The Woses don't seem to be affecting the plant in any negative way and they are indeed quite lovely. If anyone can identify these growths with any certainty I would greatly appreciate hearing from you.

[Eric La Fountaine]

Wow! Isn't nature amazing. The only thing I could find on the web that fits your photos is a discription of European rosette willow gall midge. See paragraph nine at this link. It doesn't sound like the midges are too harmful to the plant.

I wonder if anyone else has had any experience with this type of gall?

[Suzan D]

Hi Eric Thanks for your reply. It does indeed look like a midge gall. The gall does not appear to be affecting the plant in any adverse way and they are quite attractive. I have never seen this before nor have I spoken to anyone that has I guess that makes my yard a bit unique. I am leaving the galls alone and will just allow nature to take it's course, but I still prefer to call them Woses ha ha. Thanks again fro taking the time to reply. Have a good one.
Suzan Dumais

[HortLine]

Before becoming a F.O.G. I lived many years in the Yukon Territory and have seen an abundance of willow roses. They seemed to come in great profusion in years when we had lots of aphids. Some years they were very scarace. My children used to collect them for me as something special for mom that could be had miles from civilization. The willow roses seemed to be most abundant in areas of pasture where willows were making a comeback much to the chagrin of the farmer side of our identity. I had a theory that livestock browsing made the willows somehow much more vulnerable to whatever caused this beautiful aberration. Living now in Vancouver, I have not seen any recently when hiking in B.C.