Black oozing Magnolia

[Gavski]

We have recently moved to a house that has a very big (probably old) Magnolia.

I recently noticed a black oozing substance coming from the base of the tree - see photos.

Is this a problem and what can I do about.

The tree seems fairly healthy, it flowered in spring, followed by good leaf coverage but then continued to flower all season? also there are quite a few dead branches inside of the canopy.

Advice/help appreciated.

[RobRainford]

to me the bleeding would be caused by the rhizomorphs of a parasitic Armillaria fungus, Most likely Honey Fungus.

 

Were there any fruiting bodies around the base of the tree?

 

have there been any other trees removed in the vicinity?

 

The dead branches in the canopy are most likely natural deadwood if they are under leaf cover, as the tree flushes its outer leaves the less significant branches on th inner canopy are shaded out and subsequently die off.

[Gavski]

No fruiting bodies. and no other trees removed in the vicinity. The only other trees nearby are some Laylandii in my neighbors garden.

Is this harmful? is there any remedy?

 

thanks

[treeseer]

Appears more like soilbone disease like phytpophthora. for starters get the dirt off the stem so you can see the roots originate. an arborist should remove dead tissue, drench and cauterize.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Appears more like soilbone disease like phytpophthora. for starters get the dirt off the stem so you can see the roots originate. an arborist should remove dead tissue, drench and cauterize.

 

What I was thinking too...

[Gavski]

Thanks for the replies, I had a look at some pictures of phytophthora on trunks and It sure looks like it.

I inherited the tree when we move into our new home, does anyone know where I can get some advice on how to look after it - It's a magnificent tree, about 25ft tall and I'd be gutted if it died.

[RobRainford]

I had a gut feeling it was phytophthora, with no other signs of a fungal infection the signs were pointing to it.

 

theres a little more info here from forest research, however, i am unsure as to whether the tree can be saved completely or whether it would, with some help, manage to fight the infection

 

Forest Research - Symptoms of Phytophthora kernoviae

 

mulching around the base of the tree to the edge of the canopy or as much as possible to depth of 2-3" will give it a nice boost for the next couple of seasons as the mulch degrades.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I will give you Phtopthora on this one, its all low on stem and very dark liquid/exudates as apposed to more brown of Armillaria exudates which would also be higher into the stem.

[lmac]

Hi I have just joined the site and noticed your problem with your magnolia.

 

Almost definately Phytophora ramorum. Is there any Ponticum Rhododendron in the vicinity.??

 

We have it here and we have had to fell and burn large quantities of Ponticum as they are a serious threat to our larch and magnolia if the spores jump accross.

 

Only in the Ponticum at the moment.

 

If the government department suspects its ramorum then it has to come down. You could sample the bark and send for analysis.

 

They served us with a stat notice to remove once they had crawled round the grounds and tagged and sampled.we were going to do a major clearance anyway so it has promted us to move a bit quicker.

Hope this helps and hope its not ramorum but its pretty serious stuff.

 

cheers

[RobRainford]

Hi I have just joined the site and noticed your problem with your magnolia.

 

Almost definately Phytophora ramorum. Is there any Ponticum Rhododendron in the vicinity.??

 

We have it here and we have had to fell and burn large quantities of Ponticum as they are a serious threat to our larch and magnolia if the spores jump accross.

 

Only in the Ponticum at the moment.

 

If the government department suspects its ramorum then it has to come down. You could sample the bark and send for analysis.

 

They served us with a stat notice to remove once they had crawled round the grounds and tagged and sampled.we were going to do a major clearance anyway so it has promted us to move a bit quicker.

Hope this helps and hope its not ramorum but its pretty serious stuff.

 

cheers

 

How are you sure it's p. ramorum? P. kernoviae is listed to affect magnolia.

[lmac]

Hi

 

Obviously cant be sure that your Magnolia has phytophthora Ramorum but your image looks like some symtoms I have seen.

 

There seems to be a bit of a panic on about p.r at the moment huge down in devon and if you go on to the forestry commision site you can follow its spread. You can guess where I live, most northern and westerly point on the out break map. You may live in one of the Hot spots worth checking.

 

affects Magnolia and Pieris but the host plant is normally Rhodedendron (ponticum) the purple one, thats why you should check if you have that in abundance in the near vacinity. Its spread by spores thats why they are felling vast amounts of Larch at the moment if it gets on to them the spread is dramatically increased. Keep these Arb boys working!!

 

Not a plant specialist or Bioligist just having to deal with this problem head on at the moment. Still worth sampling youself before the men in white suits get wind of it..

 

Dont Panic

 

Cheers