Keizer's Fungi Q & A.

[Fungus]

1. had a bit of a dig, noticed an old wound at the base which may have been the site of initial infection?

2. There are also some tips that are without leaf, as mentioned earlier this would indicate a restriction/blockage of the cambium.

3. Secondly, the photo showing the lower stem, there are lots of bulges and lumps all over the lower 2m of stem, do these have any relation to kretz?

 

Rob,

1. Could be either the site of the initial entrance of the mycelium, or the breaking through site of the mycelium and crusts on their way out.

2. Correct.

3. Could be, could also be a sign of activity of the mycelium of the sometimes - especially on beech - Ustulina accompanying Meripilus giganteus.

[RobRainford]

Very informative thank you.

 

Is there any way to increase the longevity of this tree? Heavy reductions will do as much good as bad IMO. And having targets like these is getting close to being a fell. Although the client wants the tree kept if possible. Im unsure whether he will get what he wants and that I would sleep at night afterwards!

[Fungus]

Is there any way to increase the longevity of this tree? Heavy reductions will do as much good as bad IMO. And having targets like these is getting close to being a fell. Although the client wants the tree kept if possible. Im unsure whether he will get what he wants and that I would sleep at night afterwards!

 

Rob,

This is the classical dilemma between your professional evaluation of and responsibility for the risk management of the tree and the emotional input coming from the client.

My "armchair" advice : never neglect or ignore your skilled and balanced opinion, because of a client not being able to come to terms with the "departure" of his much loved tree. If he can live with a completely reduced or "undressed" tree, which effectively is a form of passive euthanasia, so be it.

[RobRainford]

Rob,

This is the classical dilemma between your professional evaluation of and responsibility for the risk management of the tree and the emotional input coming from the client.

My "armchair" advice : never neglect or ignore your skilled and balanced opinion, because of a client not being able to come to terms with the "departure" of his much loved tree. If he can live with a completely reduced or "undressed" tree, which effectively is a form of passive euthanasia, so be it.

 

I understand that completely

 

I am trying to usher towards a removal, without trying to strike fear into him, as thats never the aim, he did ask whats the worst case scenario, which is failure. I did say its not in a dangerous stage where failure is imminent (but we dont know without getting a cross section from the base!), but the risk is increased because of the fungi present. He is confident in my judgement and although reluctant to accept it may have to come out, it looks like its the only option.

 

Thank you Gerrit, your opinion has cleared a lot up for me

[John Barleycorn]

Found this growing on my compost heap this morning, patch about six inches in diameter, came up over night. Bright sulphur yellow, spongy texture composed of very small branching lobes. Texture very, very soft, smears when touched, like jelly. By 1.0 pm it was darkening & tuning brown under the miday sun.

Never seen anything like it before, except perhaps those specks of yellow mould that sometimes grow on rotting Leylandi hedge cuttings.

[Fungus]

Found this growing on my compost heap this morning, patch about six inches in diameter, came up over night. Bright sulphur yellow, spongy texture composed of very small branching lobes. Texture very, very soft, smears when touched, like jelly. By 1.0 pm it was darkening & tuning brown under the miday sun.

 

And later on it dispersed countless numbers of brown spores in clouds when touched ? This is a myxomycete in its plasmodium phase, what species can only be said after it has formed one big aethalium or lots of small aethalia. This size of plasmodia mostly turn into one big aethelium of a Fuligo species or of Brefeldia maxima. Also see : Myxomycetes.

[John Barleycorn]

It continues to darken to a brown colour, oozing yellow "sap". No sign of spores or fruiting body, the surface is dry and crusty.

Is it dead ?

[ILikeScotsPine]

I have two questions:

 

1) The black liquid ooze from phytoptheras and cankers, what is it actually made up of?

2) Can birds such as woodpeckers act as vectors for pathogens?

 

Thanks, its a great and informative thread

[Fungus]

It continues to darken to a brown colour, oozing yellow "sap". No sign of spores or fruiting body, the surface is dry and crusty. Is it dead ?

 

No, it is either still in its (moving and colonizing) plasmodium phase or it has started withdrowing into a temporarely sclerotium phase to avoid being dried out before sporulation from a yet to form aethalium.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

What do you make of these images Gerrit?

 

an Oak obviously robur, I suspected laetiporus on early stages due to the white mycelium in the rays?