Azalea – Stem growth

Q: A friend’s azalea plant has an odd growth on one of the stems. Should the growth be cut off?

A: It looks like someone sprayed Roundup too close to the plant. I got a bit reckless with Roundup near my raspberries last year and observed the same results: tiny leaves in clusters around the stem. If she is lucky, the Roundup might not kill the entire plant. Cut off the stems carrying the growth and see what sprouts next spring