Not so happy Beech

[Matthew Arnold]

Any ideas what has caused this? It has steadily got worse over the past couple of years and now tree is starting to suffer.

[Fungus]

Any ideas what has caused this? It has steadily got worse over the past couple of years and now tree is starting to suffer.

 

Matt,

Sun burn after sudden overexposure to light ? Infection with black plaques (and/or rhizomorphs) of parasitic Armillaria species, if that is what the black crusts are from ? And the big not yet burst canker is caused by Nectria ditissima.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Fungus

[Matthew Arnold]

Matt,

Sun burn after sudden overexposure to light ? Infection with black plaques (and/or rhizomorphs) of parasitic Armillaria species, if that is what the black crusts are from ? And the big not yet burst canker is caused by Nectria ditissima.

 

The tree only gets a very light (few twigs) crown lift each year but nothing major. Was thinking along the lines of canker but its attacking the heart wood judging by the buckling. The trees were subject to some abuse by some travellers that camped illegally during a loca steam fair. So Armillaria may have got in there through the bark being shot/beaten.

[Fungus]

The tree only gets a very light (few twigs) crown lift each year but nothing major.

 

I wasn't thinking of pruning or reducing the crown being the cause of the sunburn, but felling or falling of a tree standing close enough to provide shade to the south side of the affected tree, and it's trunk not being wrapped with jute to protect the suddenly overexposed bark.

[Fungus]

I wasn't thinking of pruning or reducing the crown being the cause of the sunburn, but felling or falling of a tree standing close enough to provide shade to the south side of the affected tree, and it's trunk not being wrapped with jute to protect the suddenly overexposed bark.

 

Matt,

Some successive stages of bark necrosis after sun burn of beeches, which were suddenly sun exposed after a row of trees shadowing the trunks of the beeches were felt.

1. Initial stage.

2. Secondary stage.

3. Detail of necrosis in initial and/or secundary stage.

4. Final stage with the mycelium of Schizophyllum commune decomposing the exposed wood.

5. Beech covered with jute to prevent sun burn of the trunk.

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