The Meripilus thread!

[Fungus]

just popping the link in, my intention is for everything i come acroos linkwise to be posted here along with my case examples and anyone elses who wishes to help build the reference here. just cos i post a link doesnt mean i agree with it.

 

Tony,

I know, but I couldn't resist making fun of a guy, who seriously seems to think he is contributing to the subject and obviously doesn't know what he is talking about .

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Tony,

I know, but I couldn't resist making fun of a guy, who seriously seems to think he is contributing to the subject and obviously doesn't know what he is talking about .

 

theres an awful lot of that about:001_smile:

[Tom Joye]

The Meripilus thread seemed like the right place to post this

 

Big beech in a park within walking distance from my house. It has got Meripilus FB on the root plate, which is slowly tipping over. Major compensation growth, both at the root base as in the roots. Busy walking path just 10 m away, in the direction of the lean. I have first seen this tree 2 years ago, during a VTA-course I was teaching, immediately informed the Tree Manager (whom I know very well). He thanked me a lot for informing him and now, 2 years later, ... the tree is still there. Nothing much has changed, but I still think it is not a good idea to just leave it there.

 

Your thoughts on this?

 

Cheers,

Tom

 

PS: while uploading the pictures, I just noticed something: are those sterile beech fruits in one of the pictures? ... panic fruiting?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

The Meripilus thread seemed like the right place to post this

 

Big beech in a park within walking distance from my house. It has got Meripilus FB on the root plate, which is slowly tipping over. Major compensation growth, both at the root base as in the roots. Busy walking path just 10 m away, in the direction of the lean. I have first seen this tree 2 years ago, during a VTA-course I was teaching, immediately informed the Tree Manager (whom I know very well). He thanked me a lot for informing him and now, 2 years later, ... the tree is still there. Nothing much has changed, but I still think it is not a good idea to just leave it there.

 

Your thoughts on this?

 

Cheers,

Tom

 

PS: while uploading the pictures, I just noticed something: are those sterile beech fruits in one of the pictures? ... panic fruiting?

 

Th gap in the canopy that has opened up due to shifting is alarming to say the least, also clear movement in the rootplate evident, crown condition also waining. All indicators in thier own right, put them together and youve a pretty good measure of the problem!

 

wouldnt say fell in this situation reduction on the very heavy side is as far as i would go, and if it did give up because of the work it will provide habitat for decades:thumbup1:

[Fungus]

Big beech ... It has got Meripilus FB on the root plate, which is slowly tipping over. Major compensation growth, both at the root base as in the roots. I have first seen this tree 2 years ago ... are those sterile beech fruits in one of the pictures? ... panic fruiting?

 

Tom,

I assume, Meripilus by now is in it's phase where it has undermined the root plate and is ready to go "underground" for several years (see : my post on the Meripilus "fairy tale").

To determine whether the beech is entering the final phase of its reproductive life cycle, check for superficial adventitious rooting around the trunk base and for Laccaria amethystina fruiting from them. Also look for the presence or absence of tree species specific ectomycorrhizal macrofungi (Amanita phalloides, A. citrina, Russula fellea, R. mairei, Lactarius blennius, L. subdulcis) and the substition of specilialized by generalistic symbionts, such as Scleroderma citrinum, Russula parazurea, R. ochroleuca and Paxillus involutus.

The panic fruiting of the tree with sterile fruits (70 % sterile, 30 % fertile), because of an increasing lack of phosphor, for the greater part "delivered" by tree species specific Lactarius and Russula species, seems to be the first indication of the tree entering the phase of old age. By the way, how old is this beech ?

[Tom Joye]

...

The panic fruiting of the tree with sterile fruits (70 % sterile, 30 % fertile), because of an increasing lack of phosphor, for the greater part "delivered" by tree species specific Lactarius and Russula species, seems to be the first indication of the tree entering the phase of old age. By the way, how old is this beech ?

 

Gerrit,

This park was landscaped in 1875, so the oldest trees should be 136 years old. I don't know if this beech is one of the original trees, but it is plausible.

 

I will keep a keen eye on this beech and the processes you describe. I'll look for confirmation in the form of FB's of the ectomycorrizal fungi and the adventitious roots.

 

Regards,

Tom

[Tom Joye]

Th gap in the canopy that has opened up due to shifting is alarming to say the least, also clear movement in the rootplate evident, crown condition also waining. All indicators in thier own right, put them together and youve a pretty good measure of the problem!

 

wouldnt say fell in this situation reduction on the very heavy side is as far as i would go, and if it did give up because of the work it will provide habitat for decades:thumbup1:

 

Exactly my thoughts! But aside from monitoring the situation and informing the Tree Manager, there's not much I can do.

 

I'm thinking this might be a good tree to have a 'reduction/coronet/fracture pruning' workshop with the training centre I work for. I guess that's the only way this beech is going to be reduced instead of felled (if they act before it comes down by itself )

[Fungus]

This park was landscaped in 1875, so the oldest trees should be 136 years old.

 

Tom,

So you assume the beeches were "born" there ?

[Tom Joye]

Tom,

So you assume the beeches were "born" there ?

 

Ok, you got me there

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Tom,

So you assume the beeches were "born" there ?

 

Ok, you got me there

 

and why not assume so much? a group planting of the wild version (ungrafted) purple beech, a fad for the landscape around this time:thumbup1: