Inonotus dryadeus

[Matthew Arnold]

Had a report of an oak down across a bridleway. We took our biggest saw (MS362 with 20" bar) and just put it back in the van when we saw what we had to deal with. My first failure of an oak caused by dryadeus. It have given me an idea of what it does to the roots. There wasnt much left to hold it up.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

a rare event indeed, look at the growing environment.

[Matthew Arnold]

a rare event indeed, look at the growing environment.

 

It didnt have the best start in life (steep sandstone bank and chalk topsoil) but still turned out into a fine specimen.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I give up counting the trees ive found to date, but heres a few more to add.

 

the growing environment playing key in the impact of colonisations of this biotrophic parasite. Set a scene of optimal growth conditions and this fungus lives a long and happy healthy life with its host, grazing, compaction and urea affecting the biosphere of the root environment and we have a downward spiral.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Two of the many I.DRYADEUS colonised Quercus roburs that I have managed in the past, both responding well to retrenchment pruning, the first responding very well with the 1st not extending its growth but ramifying its buds very well. I am extatic with these responses to the reduction work, as intended:thumbup1

 

the first shot of the old sporocarps is from another tree we will be reducing soon.

 

 

 

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[Jesse]

Given the reputation this lovely and most photogenic of fungi has gotten I thought this subject was long overdue a discussion, I have very little to agree about, probably no suprise:laugh1: with much of what is said. I so far reckon im working on a 1 in 1000 chance of failure going on the fact I must have witnessed 1000 colonisations and only 1 failure:001_cool:

 

http://treelifeac.co.uk/Documents/Inonotus%20dryadeus%20article.pdf

 

Grazing/mower/construction damage on the upper root surfaces is one situation where I would be concerned, but healthy vital trees with no crown symptoms and no scaring or damage complications I would not be so concernernd about.

 

Inonotus dryadeus is generally a recycling fungi, living off old tissues in the core of the ageing tree, there is one tree at bradgate deer park which has entirely coned out and now lives on stilts (adaptation and new roots) this is not an isolated form I have heard others call it the "Eiffel tower form"

 

Obviously as with all decay organisms, the presence of fruit bodies and in proximity of targets one MUST make a detailed assessment of the decay, each situation and circumstance is unique, no two patients are the same.

 

before I go into my views on this fungus i thought i would offer a few visual illustrations of the fungus in its many guises and forms, with the intention that these images will allow you to make your own minds up about this IMO over estimated fungus.

 

Part of the tree species specific ecosystem wouldnt you say Gerrit?

 

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Is that picks of you Hama ? and could you not just kick that tree over:001_tt2:

[Jesse]

Hama on another note im just about to cut down a tree planted by a famous chap!!!!, im not at all happy about it but its gone too far, im not asking what do you think, but what do you think? its been in the news.

[treeseer]

" its gone too far, im not asking what do you think, but what do you think? its been in the news."

 

How far is too far to manage by reduction?

 

re I.d., it's considered one of the big bad 3 here in the US. The tough part is, the established way to measure root rot is to drill the root, which makes it weaker. How do you all assess the rot and prescribe the % pruning?

 

Nice job by D. Dowson on that writeup.

[RobRainford]

If there is considerable retrenching on the stem and inner crown areas, I don't see why a pollard wouldn't work.

[David Humphries]

re I.d., it's considered one of the big bad 3 here in the US. The tough part is, the established way to measure root rot is to drill the root, which makes it weaker. How do you all assess the rot and prescribe the % pruning?

 

Nice job by D. Dowson on that writeup.

 

It is, like all of Mr Dowsons resources, a very useful aid.

 

 

However, I think it worth adding that this species can be also be found away from the basal region & can be discovered fruiting upto 3 or 4 m in height, at the top of trunks & the base of major scafolds, as opposed to what most of the ident books & DD says,

"The attack is more or less confined to the heartwood and never spreads very far up the

trunk, at most reaching 2 metres above soil level."

 

This then has the potential to be of significance (in terms of site of failure) at points in a tree that perhaps the books do not make clear.

 

 

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