Does anyone know what this is? It looks like a cocoon?

[skiingjeff]

This is on my skyrocket juniper. It is hard and wrapped around the stem. It's either something that died or could it be a cocoon of some type?

Any ideas are appreciated.

[applestar]

Ugh! It's a cedar apple rust gall
https://soilplantlab.missouri.edu/plant/ ... niper.aspx

This means any apple tree and relatives (hawthorn, pyracantha, service berry, I think rose too, etc.) are vulnerable as alternate hosts.

[skiingjeff]

It figures it couldn't be something good

Thanks Applestar for the identification. I'll have to look up treatment/prevention techniques on the Web now that I know what it is.

Fortunately, we don't have any apple trees in our yard except for crabapple which we do not eat.