You got some gall!

[spandit]

Spotted these on a tiny oak today:

Must have taken a lot of energy for such a little tree to produce them. I'm debating whether to leave them or not - it's a naturally seeded tree (or maybe from an acorn I flung around) and is doing quite a bit better than some of the tubed ones I paid for and planted. I'm guessing the gall wasps have some sort of ecological significance too and I've no need to make ink at the moment

 

[bopdude]

WOW, some effort indeed.

 

[Harvestman]

The gall wasps are relatively new to the UK (last 50 years at most) and are still spreading. Most of the growth is promoted by hormones secreted from the wasp eggs, and I don't think it costs the tree too much. They seem to grow ok regardless. If you want to look them up, the wasp is Andricus kollari. If you find a green gall without a hole in it you can pick it and put it in a container, and eventually the adult wasp will emerge. They are a weird shape.

Here's another gall, in enormous numbers, this time the Bedeguar gall also known as Robin's Pincushion, on dog rose.

 

[spandit]

I think I'll just leave them. From what else I've read they don't seem to harm the tree and I'm sure the birds will eat them

 

[Kathy]

your little oak tree could also have been planted by a jay. i have a row of small oaks now 3 years old which were deposited by jays, they are far more robust and happy than any of the oaks that i have planted over the years, so now i just let them germinate naturally and protect them only if needs be. even putting tree guards round them seem to retard the growth...particularly with the field maples i find.

 

[Huscarl]

The gall wasps are relatively new to the UK (last 50 years at most) and are still spreading. Andricus kollari.

Andricus Kollari were introduced to the UK in the 1800s with the Turkey Oak so have been around for a little longer than 50 yrs. Perhaps you're referring to Andricus quercuscalicis which came here in the 70s?

There's about 30 species of gall wasps in the UK and at least half a dozen that affect oaks.

 

[spandit]

your little oak tree could also have been planted by a jay. i have a row of small oaks now 3 years old which were deposited by jays, they are far more robust and happy than any of the oaks that i have planted over the years, so now i just let them germinate naturally and protect them only if needs be. even putting tree guards round them seem to retard the growth...particularly with the field maples i find.

We do have jays here but also squirrels and this particular tree isn't too far from a larger oak, so might have just been wind blown. I don't generally protect the naturally seeded trees - if they've done this well on their own then they stand a good chance of making it, but still could get eaten by deer or mown down once the grass grows up again.