Hackberry Witches' Broom

Michelle Grabowski, University of Minnesota Extension Educator and Jeff Hahn, University of Minnesota Asst. Extension Entomologist

Hackberry tree with witches brooms
W. Cranshaw, Bugwood.org

As you look up at the trees this spring, watching for emerging buds or perhaps a returning song bird, you might notice many small clumps of short twigs scattered through the branches of some hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis). These clumps of twigs are called witches' brooms.

Although witches' brooms are present within the trees canopy throughout the year, they are most easily observed in the winter or early spring, before leaves emerge. Hackberry trees growing in open areas, like a yard or along a street, are more likely to have witches' brooms than hackberry trees in a forest. Often one hackberry tree will have many witches' brooms while its near neighbors have none.

Witches' brooms occur when the bud of the tree is injured or infected. Normally, a healthy bud opens to produce one shoot. However, when a bud is damaged or killed, multiple weak shoots may develop from the same point on the branch. Witches' brooms in trees can be caused by a variety of problems. Trees growing alongside roads where salt is applied in the winter may have buds damaged or killed by splashing salt. In some cases, infection of the tree by a fungus, a phytoplasma or even a parasitic plant like mistletoe can cause witches' brooms to form within the tree's canopy.

Witches broom on hackberry tree, up close
W. Cranshaw, Bugwood.org

The exact cause of hackberry witches' broom remains unknown, although two organisms are consistently found within these twig clusters. The first is an eriophyid mite, Eriophyes celtis. Eriophyid mites are tiny, measuring no more than 0.5 mm (1/50th inch) long. Even with magnification, people are unlikely to see these mites. Little is known about their life cycle. We do know that eggs are laid in May and mites cluster on the buds, developing until the end of the summer. The second organism is the powdery mildew fungus Podosphaera phytoptophila. The fungus may be seen as a white cobweb like coating growing on the young shoots and leaves within the witches' broom in spring or early summer. Throughout the year tiny brown to black round fungal resting structures can be found on infected buds, but these are best observed with the help of a magnifying glass.

How these two pests interact with the hackberry tree is uncertain. One theory suggests that the eriophyid mite causes the witches' broom to form and the powdery mildew fungus takes advantage of the weakened plant and starts an infection secondarily. It is clear that hackberry witches' broom causes little damage to the health of the tree. Trees with numerous witches' brooms have been found to grow vigorously for years.

Several hackberry witches brooms, up close
Jeff Hahn

Since the true cause of the witches' broom remains uncertain, there is no known method to prevent or to control the problem. Gardeners who are concerned about the affect of the witches' brooms on the ornamental value of the tree can prune off severely infected branches. In most cases however, hackberry witches' broom is only an aesthetic problem in the winter months. The flush of new leaves soon to be produced will hide the witches' brooms, leaving only a beautiful green canopy to be seen by the casual observer.