Meripilus on Beech

[John Hancock]

Just a thought....In all my years as an arborist I've never seen a beech windthrow that had Maripilus, although I've removed many that were host to the nasty little pathogen!

 

Does anyone know of a Beech tree with Meripilus that has escaped the arborists chainsaw and if so, how many years has it stood.

 

I only ask because some time ago there was a thought that perhaps we were being to hasty in removing them. It would be interesting if there was any evidence to substantiate this......

[Bundle 2]

It certainly was the case that Lonsdale contests by the time the fruiting bodies appear at the base of the host, there is in all likelihood very little root left!

[Log-ologist]

I think this was Meripilius, the fungi still comes back on the remains of the stump and a main root each year . It could have been standing for years. I have a pic of the stump that needs resizing.

[Log-ologist]

That tree saved me from going to sunday dinner at the mother-in-laws.

[David Humphries]

Is this a trick to get some poor unsuspecting tree hugging LA type to admit that he might posibly have considered or even maybe has retained such a Tree as the one in question?

[David Humphries]

Fagus with Meripilus giganteus from 2001

[Lee Winger]

I recall an avenue of Beech riddled with meripilius some 5 years ago, to my knowledge they are still standing! I will check them out this week.

[John Hancock]

I recall an avenue of Beech riddled with meripilius some 5 years ago, to my knowledge they are still standing! I will check them out this week.

 

That would be great if you could. I’ve taken 5 Beech down in one cemetery alone in Worcester, I expect its just a matter of time until the others go the way of the chainsaw. If I had a Beech without a target beneath and it had Meripilius it would be interesting to study the decay in the root system over a period of time. I know we’re all told to fell as soon as fruiting bodies emerge but it would be nice to see for myself…

[Lee Winger]

That would be great if you could. I’ve taken 5 Beech down in one cemetery alone in Worcester, I expect its just a matter of time until the others go the way of the chainsaw. If I had a Beech without a target beneath and it had Meripilius it would be interesting to study the decay in the root system over a period of time. I know we’re all told to fell as soon as fruiting bodies emerge but it would be nice to see for myself…

 

I too have felled my fair share of beech with merrip, one tree in paticuler I remember we ground the stump out as far, wide and as deep as possible, and to behonest the roots didn't show any signs of decay at all..

[John Hancock]

We need the funny looking fella with the 'hair' on here....Where are you David??

 

I tell you what would be very interesting...Air-spade a Beech root system after one has been felled. I wonder if it would be poss' to lift most of the root system, invert it and then study the decay....?