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Poison Ivy Leaf Galls: Harmless Mite Damage That Doesn't Slow the Vine

Those "warty" growths on poison ivy leaves are galls caused by eriophyid mites. The mites inject eggs, and leaf tissue forms protective chambers around them.

No Treatment Needed—or Desired

The galls don't significantly harm the plant. Ironically, a gall-induced decline might be the only thing that slows poison ivy's spread!

Fun Fact

A scientist who studies plant galls is called a cecidologist. Now you know.

About Gardening: Brown Bumps on Pin Oak Leaves: Harmless Leaf Galls; Controlling Aphids on English Ivy; How to Fix Yellow Leaves on Ivy and Make It Bushy; Diagnosing Brown, Pale Leaves on Indoor Ivy; Virginia Creeper vs. Poison Ivy: Five Leaflets, Tendrils, and Possible Rash; Dead Poison Ivy Leaves: Still Toxic? Mowing Precautions; Identifying a Thorny, Three-Leaved Plant: Poison Ivy or Something Else?; Poison Ivy vs. Poison Oak in Georgia: How to Tell Them Apart; Poison Ivy Identification: Pictures and Look-Alikes; Poison Ivy Control: Identification, Herbicides, and Manual Removal

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