Adversely affecting the azaleas in the Virginia Garden not only are the deer but also the azalea leaf gall.

A fungus, Exobasidium vaccinii, brought by the wind causes leaf gall. The spores linger on the bark and the bud scales. The fungus growth appears like pastel colored crystalline sugar candy on the affected leaves.

Leaf gall is most severe in a wet spring on plants growing in shaded locations.

Picking off the galls is the immediate labor intensive solution supplemented by fungicide spray in spring.