I went out into the yard to water the plants—it was a normal, quiet morning. But when I approached an old tree, I noticed something strange: dozens of yellowish-orange balls hung from the branches. They looked like small oranges, but strange, uneven, as if they were attached to the bark. 😱
At first I thought someone had glued children’s toys to them, then that maybe it was some kind of insect nest. But when I leaned closer and touched one, it was soft and slightly damp. There was a sweet, rotten smell coming from inside.
It gave me goosebumps.
I didn’t understand what it was, so I went online in a panic. A couple of minutes later, I was sitting there with my mouth open: it turns out it’s… 🫣
It turns out that these “balls” are parasitic fungi called Cyttaria.
Cittaria is a special genus of fungi that parasitize trees of the genus Nothofagus, related to beeches.
They are typically found in South America, but due to climate change and plant movements, their spores may spread further.
The fungus burrows directly into the wood, causing the tree to form galls—tumor-like growths. Over time, round fruiting bodies—those same orange balls I saw—erupt from these.
At first glance, cittaria does not destroy the tree instantly, but gradually weakens it, disrupting the exchange of nutrients and moisture in the branches.
At first the tree just looks “strange”, then the branches begin to dry out, crack, and the fungus spreads further.
Sometimes, such infected trees become a source of new spores, which are carried by the wind and infect other plants.
If this process is not stopped, the tree may die.
I called a botanist friend. He examined the tree and said: “Yes, it’s cittaria. If the infected branches aren’t removed promptly, the tree won’t survive.”
We cut down several affected areas, treated the cuts, and for a long time I couldn’t get over the thought that nature sometimes so beautifully disguises danger.
