Witches’ Broom - Taphrina betulina on Birch

02 Nov 2025

The illustration shows a compact cluster of short, closely packed shoots emerging from a swollen branch junction. The centre of the broom is enlarged and covered in buds breaking dormancy.

I painted a birch twig infected with the fungus Taphrina betulina, which causes Witches’ Broom disease.

The illustration shows a compact cluster of short, closely packed shoots emerging from a swollen branch junction. The centre of the broom is enlarged and covered in buds breaking dormancy. The branch, buds, and twigs are all painted in shades of brown and outlined in black.

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