Copper Beech Tree issue

[Mesterh]

Im fairly sure that you can see stress in the leaves, smaller, discoloured and curled at the ends and sides when merip is present. Plus the crown looks thinner than it should be. I agree that old beech need an eye kept on them.

 

 

[Mark Bolam]

48 minutes ago, jfc said:

Fair point but... kretz deusta and meripilus giganteus can both cause severe decay that is not visible in the crown. Meripilus is only visible for a few weeks a year.

Big old beech need an eye kept on in my experience.

Absolutely.

I didn’t mean the reduction was a solution, just might buy some time.

 

It would be interesting to see what’s left of the sister tree that failed.

[Stere]

Not much of the twigs/canopy/crown density left for the size of it?

 

Looks like its being thinned out loads?

 

Not sure thats gonna be very good for it long term  esp for a  beech tree?

[Peartree2025]

This is all very informative, thank you. Just wondering, what would you look for in the sister tree stump if merip was an issue? Or is it much easier to assess health in a still-standing tree? 

[Mark Bolam]

Merip would cause white rot in the stump/buttresses/roots.

 

It’s always easier to assess the health of a tree that’s fallen over!

[peds]

Yep, and if you find there's nothing wrong with it, you can just stick it back up again. 

[Peartree2025]

Ok, thank you! 

 

I suppose I'm wondering how certain one can be about health of existing tree, going by stump of old tree? Merip being one issue I understand, though the broken wall could be another issue with soil/roots potentially? The progressive leaning of the tree before it fell appeared to happen over a few months. 

[Mark Bolam]

In short, you can’t.

 

A perfectly healthy tree can be right beside one that is a mushbag.

[Mesterh]

1 hour ago, Peartree2025 said:

This is all very informative, thank you. Just wondering, what would you look for in the sister tree stump if merip was an issue? Or is it much easier to assess health in a still-standing tree? 

"Im fairly sure that you can see stress in the leaves, smaller, discoloured and curled at the ends and sides when merip is present. Plus the crown looks thinner than it should be. I agree that old beech need an eye kept on them"

 

That.

You can get a tree survey that  inspects the tree root system. Big beech that have root issues have tell tale signs in the canopy. IME. 

 

[Peartree2025]

Ok bit of a long shot but my dad took this photo of inside of fallen beech tree stump when it happened. Does anything stick out? There is a mushroom looking thing there but might be normal?