Black "Burn" marks on Birch ????

[Salix Tree & Countryside]

I was at a regular customers today and he pointed out what looked to be burn marks on the base of a Birch. I had a look, and it looks like its been burnt, the outer bark is black and looks scorched, but this is in a large very private garden.

 

Some pics supplied, any ideas ?????

 

 

 

 

 

sorry about the orientation of pics.........its doin my hid in !!!!!!!

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[Matthew Arnold]

That looks very much like Honey Fungus at play. The sap is leaching out of the bark where the rhizomorphs have infected the cambium. Wont be long until its curtains. If it is reduced hard it could kill the tree and razor strop could get into cuts and rot it from the top.

[Salix Tree & Countryside]

I had a look at honey fugus and disregarded it as i have never seen it looking like this before..........if it is, its not like i remember seein before.

 

Mark

[stihllearning]

bleeding canker?

[Salix Tree & Countryside]

I have to say that when i got down and had an eye to eye, i was convinced it had been set fire too, the outer bark was charcoalised...........(new word) !!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

as matt said, its honey fungus and the sap is oozing (under spring pressure) from the cambium breaks

[Salix Tree & Countryside]

Damn..............oh well, something else to be sorted.

Never seen it like that before, only ever seen the bootlaces an the shrooms......interesting, as they say, you learn something new every day !!

[Ross Winchester]

thats honey fungus,seen it like that a few times on birch.