Fungi on oak ident please.

[Mick Dempsey]

Mucking about in a garden trimming and felling some oaks, this has appeared on one in the interval between quoting and doing the work.

I would like to be able to tell the client what it is as it’s well within range of two house. 
 

tia. Mick

[Rough Hewn]

Nice looking stem[emoji106]

[AJStrees]

Fistulina hepatica, beefsteak fungus. Causes brown rot which is good if you want to use the wood for cabinet making.

[Mick Dempsey]

22 minutes ago, AJStrees said:

Fistulina hepatica, beefsteak fungus. Causes brown rot which is good if you want to use the wood for cabinet making.

Thanks, I had that as a possible, but not knowing enough about it I was unsure.
I will inform the client.

Is it a fungus that a tree can cope with?

 

I have made errors before!

 

Edit. A little research has shown that it’s not a danger to the security of the tree in the short term. 

Edited November 12, 2019 by Mick Dempsey

[AJStrees]

I am no specialist, but from anything I have read it says it is a parasitic heartwood rotting fungus. So as regards it being a fungus the tree can cope with. I would rather err on the cautious. 

 

Lots of stuff online about it. Best to read up on it and see what they say. Unless someone else on here can shed more light. 

 

 

[Gary Prentice]

54 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Is it a fungus that a tree can cope with?

I have read that a healthy tree may live in harmony with this for decades Mick.  As usual there are loads of ifs and buts. I think that there may even be different colonisation rates even between the red and white side of the genus - nothing is ever straight forward but I don't think that it's one that you need to be evacuating people for as soon as you spot it.

 

"I have made errors before!"  Haven't we all?

[Sam Archer]

Fistulina hepatica is usually a weak parasite. It may be worth assessing the overall visual health of the tree may assist you in determining how the tree is dealing with this parasite. However, it is worth remembering that brown-rot fungi breakdown the cellulose and leave the lignin behind, this will cause the stem structure to become more brittle over time which will impact the dynamic movement of the specimen.

 

This particular parasitic fungus would not be too much of a worry the vast majority of the time. 

However, If you are really concerned, suggest to the client that it may be worth a arboricultural surveyor taking a look at the tree, therefore, you have made a reasonable suggestion which removes much of your responsibility. 

 

Edited November 13, 2019 by Sam Archer

[Mick Dempsey]

1 hour ago, Sam Archer said:

Fistulina hepatica is usually a weak parasite. It may be worth assessing the overall visual health of the tree may assist you in determining how the tree is dealing with this parasite. However, it is worth remembering that brown-rot fungi breakdown the cellulose and leave the lignin behind, this will cause the stem structure to become more brittle over time which will impact the dynamic movement of the specimen.

 

This particular parasitic fungus would not be too much of a worry the vast majority of the time. 

However, If you are really concerned, suggest to the client that it may be worth a arboricultural surveyor taking a look at the tree, therefore, you have made a reasonable suggestion which removes much of your responsibility. 

 

Thanks Sam, I have no responsibility, I told him what it was, sent him a link to the wiki page (the French wiki page says that it not a dangerous fungi to the tree) told  him there are no guarantees.

 

The arboricultural survey thing isn’t going to happen.

Edited November 13, 2019 by Mick Dempsey