I have received many calls in the past few weeks from homeowners concerned with their azalea and camellia bushes. Most notice swollen, disfigured leaves towards the growth tips of their shrubs. This disease is called leaf gall, caused by a fungal agent, Exobasidium, and occurs frequently during springtime.Symptoms of an Exobasidium gall infection include the presence of thick, fleshy leaves, as well as thickening of the young shoots.