Pine Gall Rust on Shore Pines - Ask Extension
Pacific City, Tillamook County - Some shore pines in our area have been diagnosed with Pine Gall Rust. It has been recommended that affected limbs be ...
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Pine Gall Rust on Shore Pines #925107
Asked February 26, 2026, 3:37 PM EST
Pacific City, Tillamook County - Some shore pines in our area have been diagnosed with Pine Gall Rust. It has been recommended that affected limbs be removed. Just wondering if any other treatment or preventative measures can or should be taken? Also, some trees have a rust colored fungus on the trunk - is this part of the gall rust or another fungal issue? These are all mature and seemingly healthy trees otherwise. Pics attached. Thank you.
Tillamook County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for the question.
Shore pines are definitely susceptible to infection by Western Gall Rust. Orange spores are observed in the spring.
Here is some information from the Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management Handbook - https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/pine-pinus-spp-western-gall-rust. Please note the listed cultural controls. Removing affected limbs is definitely recommended. The chemical controls listed are not considered effective for control but can be used as a preventive measure to reduce infection of new shoots. You should consider using a professional service if you choose to spray. Oregon State Extension always recommends using the least toxic approach (in this case, that would be limb and/or tree removal).
Here also is a helpful Oregon State Extension publication - "Common Insect Pests and Diseases of Shore Pine on the Oregon Coast" - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/em9008.pdf. Check out the description of Western Gall Rust.
This publication also indicates that the orange resin/sap in your photo may be a pitch mass which could be a defense mechanism trees use against an insect like the the Sequoia pitch moth. You can try to scrape away the pitch mass and remove the caterpillar. This insect attack is very common but rarely kills trees.
Shore pines are definitely susceptible to infection by Western Gall Rust. Orange spores are observed in the spring.
Here is some information from the Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management Handbook - https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/pine-pinus-spp-western-gall-rust. Please note the listed cultural controls. Removing affected limbs is definitely recommended. The chemical controls listed are not considered effective for control but can be used as a preventive measure to reduce infection of new shoots. You should consider using a professional service if you choose to spray. Oregon State Extension always recommends using the least toxic approach (in this case, that would be limb and/or tree removal).
Here also is a helpful Oregon State Extension publication - "Common Insect Pests and Diseases of Shore Pine on the Oregon Coast" - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/em9008.pdf. Check out the description of Western Gall Rust.
This publication also indicates that the orange resin/sap in your photo may be a pitch mass which could be a defense mechanism trees use against an insect like the the Sequoia pitch moth. You can try to scrape away the pitch mass and remove the caterpillar. This insect attack is very common but rarely kills trees.
