Lime Tree Kretzschmaria Deusta

[AdamBa]

Hi,

I have a large 25m+ Lime Tree and I've been told it has an established case of Kretzschmaria Deusta by one tree surgeon.   There was a tree report completed by an Arboricultural Consultant 5 years ago (before I purchased the house) and in this report it noted "fungus, young fruiting body, unidentifiable".   I guess in the last 5 years the fungus has developed and can now be identified.   Please can someone explain what the likely outcome is for this fantastic tree?   I've read several different things online and I fear there may be no choice other than to fell it?   To add some context, you can easily pull away some rotten wood at the base where the disease is and the tree is 10m from my house and about 8m from my neighbours house.   I don't want to fell the tree, but if it's dangerous I guess there is no choice.....especially as I don't have unlimited funds.

Thanks in advance.

[Paul Barton]

54 minutes ago, AdamBa said:

Do you think it is kretzschmaria D?

It certainly looks like it.

 

Whether or not you should decide to fell it depends on a) how advanced the decay is and b) how likely the tree would be to cause damage/injury if it failed.

 

You can find out how significant the decay is by engaging an arboriculturist to use some fancy equipment such as a micro-drill or acoustic tomograph.  Whereabouts are you based?  Perhaps we could recommend someone to you.

[Steve Bullman]

Can you post a photo of the fungus so we can positively id it?

[AdamBa]

No problem. Just took these.

[Mick Dempsey]

While you're there how about some of the tree in its entirety? Some context as it were.

[AdamBa]

Here you go. Thoughts welcome. Thanks.

[Mick Dempsey]

It's a decent size, no doubt about that.

 

My first instinct would be to reduce as limes are very tolerant to heavy reductions, but I'll defer to the  experts about Kreutch and a prognosis re. Limes.

[skyhuck]

Get it down, before it falls down!, would be my advice.

[AdamBa]

Do you think it is kretzschmaria D?

[daltontrees]

10 hours ago, AdamBa said:

Do you think it is kretzschmaria D?

Definitely! I have a picture from yesterday of a similar size tree that was felled urgently on my advice, and I saw the stump yesterday, quite alarming. If I get it off the camera today I'll post it.

 

Your tree may have secondary Armillaria, but the K. deusta alone is grounds for serious concern if there is anything or anyone that would eb hurt or damaged if the tree could snap at the base (which is what happens with K. deusta).

 

So Paul's general guidance about 'targets' is appropriate. Don't panic, just look around and think what would be there in a strong wind.

 

[Marc]

14 hours ago, skyhuck said:

Get it down, before it falls down!, would be my advice.

Typically pragmatic answer -

 

i recently surveyed a mature 20m+ Lime with Kretz and an open wound at the base about 40cm wide up to 40cm high. Likely target was a field used primarily for fetes and other church activity including overflow parking.

 

I reccomended to fell it, as my general understanding is due to the nature of Kretz it can be difficult to qaunitfy extent of decay through either resistograph or sonic tomography - happy to be proved otherwise.

 

i asked the contractor to send me a pic and to be fair it wasn't bad, bit gutted really.