I think I have a type of birch tree. It has a patchy trunk, but more so on the higher branches. Last year it had what we determined to be a mealy worm infestation, that we treated. This year the mealy worms have not come back, and the leaves are healthier, but there is still some shriveled leaves with a weird bulbous green growth on the backs of the leaves. Any idea what this may be? I don't really know much about horticulture, but I thought it might be important to mention that I live in coastal Georgia, in downtown Savannah. Also, the tree is next to a powerline. (Would that effect a tree in any way?) Thanks.

It’s difficult to picture what you are seeing, Anna. By the sounds of it, there is either a gall insect in the leaves or perhaps a fungus infection. If the leaves remain mostly green, and a lot of leaves are not falling off, it is probably not a serious problem.

If you have the capability, you can send me a few photographs and I’ll be happy to take a look. Send them to treetech@tree-tech.com. Try to get a picture of the tree so I can see what species it is, and a close up of the problematic leaves.

Thanks for your reply, Russ. I will definately send you a few pictures this weekend. Thank you so much for your time and expertise! -Anna