Is this fungus a real problem?

[Bundle 2]

You make a good point Giles...An obsession with cleanliness in the garden does indeed lead to the kind of sterility of ecological dynamics resulting in a proliferation in many urban cases of things like Armillaria. To think, they all laughed at the hippy conservationists with their weird ideas back in the day. Unfortunately, i think there is still a strong culture of preference for everything tidied up and burnt/disposed of......

[arb culture]

Paul, give it a rest mate:001_tt2:, their in a ring, on one of the healthiest firs ive ever seen.

 

They is mycorrihzaes!

 

My understanding of the term 'mycorrhiza' is that it describes a mutually beneficial relationship between a fungus and a plant root.

 

If you haven't decided what the fungus is, then how can you be so confident that this is a mycorrhizal relationship?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Since I am a total amateur, I find that most of you lot are making fun of me. I am not amused. I wanted an honest answer to what, to me, was an honest question. I am not an expert - and by joining what looked, to me, an expert website, I honestly thought that I would be taken seriously, and honest, helpful answers would be given.

It seems that you are just intent on "putting me down", which I find very hurtful and not at all helpful. These mushrooms are very unsightly in this garden, and the Owner very much needs to know if they are indeed harmful in any way. A simple, truthful, and not mocking reply was all that I wanted. Is that impossible?

 

I apologise if i offended you in anyway shape or form, i never meant to make fun of you, only to have a little tease at Paul! he knows im just playing with him:thumbup1:

 

Hamadryad has given you the answer.

 

I'd advise your client that the fungi are not harmful, if anything they are likely to be beneficial to the plants (look up 'mycorrizal fungi') there is not a great deal that can be done without making the whole area sterile, for example by concreting it over. You can remove the fruit-bodies as they appear, if they are considered unsightly.

 

The man has it down pat, I should have made it clearer and apologise for my overly simplified reply.

 

My understanding of the term 'mycorrhiza' is that it describes a mutually beneficial relationship between a fungus and a plant root.

 

If you haven't decided what the fungus is, then how can you be so confident that this is a mycorrhizal relationship?

 

I can be so confident because I know my fungi, well enough to know when i am witnessing the myco or a pattern of seek and destroy (singular path of entry or complete girdling of main stem is the usual pattern) or a pattern of seek and consume a saprobic resource, ( as above but on distinctly healthy if aged trees, and usualy following the path of an old and dying/dead root).

 

I am soooo confident that i would ask the man to send one to Kew (dried over a radiator for a day or two) and if the myco is not confirmed and its saprobic or pathogenic i will not only eat my shorts i will make a donation to a charity of your choice arb culture.

[arb culture]

I can be so confident because I know my fungi, well enough to know when i am witnessing the myco or a pattern of seek and destroy (singular path of entry or complete girdling of main stem is the usual pattern) or a pattern of seek and consume a saprobic resource, ( as above but on distinctly healthy if aged trees, and usualy following the path of an old and dying/dead root).

 

I am soooo confident that i would ask the man to send one to Kew (dried over a radiator for a day or two) and if the myco is not confirmed and its saprobic or pathogenic i will not only eat my shorts i will make a donation to a charity of your choice arb culture.

 

Cool. I admire your confidence.

 

I'm not saying you are right or wrong. I'm saying that you can't tell whether you are right or wrong until you know what species is being looked at.

 

I think you may have assumed a mycorrhizal fungi when it is entirely possible that it's nothing of the sort. It could be a fungus which has very little, if anything, to do with the tree. After all, the patterns of growth are very similar to saprotrophic fairy rings.

 

Warbaby please send your fungus to Kew for an ID - I'm donating to the Pakistan flood appeal at the moment, and I'm sure any contributions Hama wishes to make will be most welcome.

[Warbaby]

Thank you for a polite and civil answer (at last). At least I now know not to worry.

[Steve Bullman]

Since I am a total amateur, I find that most of you lot are making fun of me. I am not amused. I wanted an honest answer to what, to me, was an honest question. I am not an expert - and by joining what looked, to me, an expert website, I honestly thought that I would be taken seriously, and honest, helpful answers would be given.

It seems that you are just intent on "putting me down", which I find very hurtful and not at all helpful. These mushrooms are very unsightly in this garden, and the Owner very much needs to know if they are indeed harmful in any way. A simple, truthful, and not mocking reply was all that I wanted. Is that impossible?

 

thank you

[Paul Barton]

Paul, give it a rest mate:001_tt2:, their in a ring, on one of the healthiest firs ive ever seen.

 

They is mycorrihzaes!

 

Just seen this you cheeky chappy.

 

I was just trying to give the original poster a response that wasn't a pisstake to be honest.

 

You make a good point about them not being a concern to the health of the tree though. We still haven't identified them though?! Just for interests sake.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Just seen this you cheeky chappy.

 

I was just trying to give the original poster a response that wasn't a pisstake to be honest.

 

You make a good point about them not being a concern to the health of the tree though. We still haven't identified them though?! Just for interests sake.

 

LOL:lol:

 

I am cheeky, and cocky, and like a bit of a banter, you knew that though:001_smile:

 

You make a good point about saprophytic fairy rings etc, but in this instance and in this pattern, i am wise enough to know Im having a very very safe bet, and i cant wait to decyfer what these are!

[RobRainford]

I've puzzled myself now. I think it's a noble fir. Looking at those cones. As we've got one with similar looking ones. Argh. That clear stem makes me think it was a nordman. Nobles tend to have more needles on their stems.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Well I thought it might be Abies koreana (the korean fir)

 

one of the few pines to have cones at a small size, and grown for them as in imaturity the cones are a blue muave colour, lovely trees and perfect for the small garden