Fuchsia gall mite is a microscopic sap-sucking mite that is specific to fuchsias. It can cause extensive galling and distortion affecting the appearance of fuchsias.

Gall mites are tiny sap-sucking creatures that can cause a variety of abnormal growths on various plants. Although too small to be seen without a microscope, the galled tissues that they create are often very distinctive and easily recognised. Most gall mites are harmless and are part of the biodiversity a healthy garden can support. More information on some of these gall mites can be found here. Unfortunately the distortion caused by fuchsia gall mite can be severe and affect flowering.  

Signs of fuchsia gall mite:

• Fuchsia gall mite is a microscopic creature that can have a profound effect on the growth of fuchsia plants
• The mites are 0.25 mm long, too small to be seen without a microscope
• They affect new growth at the shoot tips where they suck sap and secrete chemicals that prevent the normal development of leaves and flowers
• As the numbers of mites rise, foliage becomes increasingly distorted until plants no longer produce normal leaves or flower buds
• Growth at the shoot tips consists of a mass of yellowish green or reddish-pink distorted tissue instead of leaves or flower buds

• Cutting off affected shoot tips will remove many mites but regrowth is likely to become re-affected Affected material can be disposed of in council waste or buried to reduce likelihood of spreading the mite
• In California, it has been noted that although all fuchsias can host the mite, species and cultivars vary in susceptibility. The most susceptible species include Fuchsia arborescens, F. magellanica and F. procumbens
• Species and cultivars noted as being less susceptible, and which are listed in RHS Find a Plant as being available from one or more UK suppliers, are 'Baby Chang', 'Cinnabarina', 'Miniature Jewels', 'Space Shuttle', Fuchsia microphylla subsp. hidalgensis, Fuchsia thymifolia and Fuchsia venusta
• A predatory mite (Amblyseius andersoni) is sold a biological control of the mite (see Biological control suppliers). The suppliers advise that if you have had the mite in previous years, or if your plants are already infected, then affected growth should be cut out to at least 10 cm below any galls or distorted tissue. Then introduce the predator to prevent the mite causing damage to regrowth

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Biological control suppliers (downloads pdf document)