Fungal disease and canker on sycamore

[hesslemount]

 

Any ideas on what's causing this and what action to take given the base feels ever so slightly spongy and near house. Cheers

 

 

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[hesslemount]

The white is certainly more mildewy in appearance and not scale. The orange / black ooze is as you'd expect a bleeding canker.

[Chris at eden]

Bacterial wetwood most likely. The white is the dried out crust of the exudates.

[hesslemount]

I'd love to do a Picus Sonic Tomograph; I'm tipping the trunk base is compromised. I hate taking trees down unnecessarily but could you make the call to leave it if you lived there. A simple hammer [emoji375] test tells me something isn't right. Ok not a hollow sound but not the sound that intact wood makes.

 

 

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[hesslemount]

Bacterial wetwood is not the worry; more the black / orange exudate.

 

 

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[Chris at eden]

Bacterial wetwood is not the worry; more the black / orange exudate.

 

 

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The black / orange are the exudates from the wetwood causing bacteria, the white is when it dries out. Pseudomonas bacteria which causes bleeding canker in horse chestnut is one of the main causes of bacterial wetwood but there are lesser known bacteria associated also.

 

The presence of the bacteria within the wood raises CO2 levels which in turn increases internal pressure forcing out the sap - hence the wet appearance.

[Chris at eden]

The black / orange are the exudates from the wetwood causing bacteria, the white is when it dries out. Pseudomonas bacteria which causes bleeding canker in horse chestnut is one of the main causes of bacterial wetwood but there are lesser known bacteria associated also.

 

The presence of the bacteria within the wood raises CO2 levels which in turn increases internal pressure forcing out the sap - hence the wet appearance.

 

Sorry meant to say the white is when the forced sap dries out.

[Chris at eden]

I'd love to do a Picus Sonic Tomograph; I'm tipping the trunk base is compromised. I hate taking trees down unnecessarily but could you make the call to leave it if you lived there. A simple hammer [emoji375] test tells me something isn't right. Ok not a hollow sound but not the sound that intact wood makes.

 

 

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If it doesn't sound hollow it probably isn't so I doubt a picus will help much but it will sound different as the wood has a high moisture content.

 

You wouldn't base fell or retain just on the info in the photo. What is the target? What is the vitality of the tree like? What is the exposure? Wetwood is usually insignificant unless there are canopy symptoms or other issues present. If you are unsure then by all means get it inspected but I wouldn't personally be breaking out the expensive Picus test at this point.

 

Cheers

[Paul Melarange]

I don't think we can make any recommendations based on the information that has been provided.

 

What is the vitality like? Is there any die-back in the crown? How tall is the tree? Has there been any excavation on the that side of the tree?

[Paul Melarange]

Haha, Chris beat me to it 😀