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This is the first year I have ever noticed these galls forming. I have seen them on a majority of Stachys observed in the region as of August 2023. These galls were not present in the last 3-4 years since I have been observing Stachys.
https://www.gallformers.org/gall/3020
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88781124#identification-6040c2b0-f087-4622-9032-6382a68a1560
@cosmopterix

I am not aiming for an ID on the plant, common fiddleneck, but to share/discuss the unusual growth. I have 5 similar observations of fiddleneck that have a gall-like head. These “heads” are corkscrewed branches that would normally form the crookneck. They are dense and hard, although some have both corkscrewed and more normal branches. There have been aphids, Fiddleneck Plant Bugs, (Plagiognathus moerens), and powdery mildew on some of the plants. I don’t know if any of those could by the reason for the gall-like growths, or if the rain plus dry spell could factor in. This is observation 1 of 5 between 31 March 22 and 25 April 22.

Observation 2: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/117207587
Observation 3: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/117207766
Observation 4: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/117207906
Observation 5: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/117207940