Cauliflower fungi questions

[Danavan]

Found this fungi at the base of a Cedar tree the other day. I have worked on this tree some years ago for a company I sub too & was working next door to it this week when I saw this.

 

Am I right in thinking it is Sparassis crispa (cauliflower fungi) ?

 

I have read that it is a root pathogen & it can cause brown rot in the lower trunk. Is this the usual case & would reduction be an option or are it's days numbered in the not to distant future, i.e 10 or less years?

 

I also read that it is quite a sort after & tasty bite, any one eaten it & is it worth the time to clean it which I gather is considerable.

 

Apologies for poor quality pic's.

[David Humphries]

Sparassis crispa

 

I don't really know of any root/lower stem failures.

 

Will be interesting to hear if anyone has.

 

Not eaten it myself.

 

 

 

.

[Alinicoll]

If it`s fresh and not full of insects its splendid sliced and fried in butter.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

The basal language in this cedar suggests something is going on for sure. I would want to know the T/R ratios of the lower stem, its a basal rot somewhat into the stem, get an idea of the level of decay in the stem and you can extrapolate that to root decay of the major structural roots also as the tissues are all connected.

 

Whatever we believe of fungi whatever strategies and modes of lifestyle we assign to them we must never forget that climate change i causing shifts in lifestyles and capacities of many of the major decays and must always remain open to less than expected outcomes in the near future.

[Danavan]

I removed a cedar a few years back that I was told had S,c. Didn't see the fungi to get a proper look at & i.d though. But it's neighbor had stem failure that missed the school building & apparently the same fungi so quite rightly the t.o wanted the other removed asap as it was close by.

 

I recall the tree looked in good health & as my knowledge served me at the time had no other indicators as to any other problems internally or externally.

 

I climbed & rigged it down as any other tree. I was shocked at the time to find massive extensive rot set into the trunk several meters up.

 

If this was S.c I thought I would keep an eye on this fungi if I came by it again.

 

The bits that I have read suggest brown rot sets in at later stages of the fungi being present. I was wondering if their is a rough time scale on any of these things or is it the length of string thing?

 

Also would find it interesting as David said if anyone else has had experience of stem or root failure due to this fungi.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

the only stem failure I know of is in Principles by Lonsdale, its a heart rotter of the lower stem and large strucural roots so doesnt show typical declines in the crown as a rule, many fungi only effect mechanics by heart rot rather than parasitic and progressive invasion of living tissues. Fungi are only very rarely in posession of such powers, and its not Codit or rather its terpenes and phenols but hydration and lack of aeration that slows the progress of decay.

[Danavan]

The basal language in this cedar suggests something is going on for sure. I would want to know the T/R ratios of the lower stem, its a basal rot somewhat into the stem, get an idea of the level of decay in the stem and you can extrapolate that to root decay of the major structural roots also as the tissues are all connected.

 

Whatever we believe of fungi whatever strategies and modes of lifestyle we assign to them we must never forget that climate change i causing shifts in lifestyles and capacities of many of the major decays and must always remain open to less than expected outcomes in the near future.

 

T/R ratios? Is that something to do with picus graph reading or the like? Apologies if this is a daft question. Live & learn..

 

Looking around the ground on the side the compression appears to be taking place I saw alot of other smaller fruiting bodys that looked like smaller versions of S.c. I did take some photo's but they are very poor so not worth a look.

 

Is this typical of S.c or is it confined to being close to the trunk?

 

As you can see in the picture a drive has been put in, although I am not sure how long ago. The tree also has alot more crown on the pic profile side that may be due to the loss of a neighbor some time ago. Would you think that some of these factors would also contribute to the trunks body language more strongly than the fungi?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

T/R ratios? Is that something to do with picus graph reading or the like? Apologies if this is a daft question. Live & learn..

 

Looking around the ground on the side the compression appears to be taking place I saw alot of other smaller fruiting bodys that looked like smaller versions of S.c. I did take some photo's but they are very poor so not worth a look.

 

Is this typical of S.c or is it confined to being close to the trunk?

 

As you can see in the picture a drive has been put in, although I am not sure how long ago. The tree also has alot more crown on the pic profile side that may be due to the loss of a neighbor some time ago. Would you think that some of these factors would also contribute to the trunks body language more strongly than the fungi?

 

T/R ratios is the residual wall of the hollowing trunk/stem/branch basic rule of thumb at 70% hollow its starting (in full crowned unretrenched trees) to be getting close to failure criteria (Mattheck)

 

the basal fruits good or not i want to see they could be important the basal language suggests fibre buckling and a thinning of the TR ratio

[Danavan]

Cheers Tony. Not sure the clients would go for a picus as the tree is nothing to do with me apart from I am an inquisitive subi who likes to learn. I will talk to the company I was subbing for as I know they are a very pro active lot who may follow it up if the client is receptive.

 

I will keep you posted to any new finds.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Cheers Tony. Not sure the clients would go for a picus as the tree is nothing to do with me apart from I am an inquisitive subi who likes to learn. I will talk to the company I was subbing for as I know they are a very pro active lot who may follow it up if the client is receptive.

 

I will keep you posted to any new finds.

 

I should have also said it may not be a cavity per say but modified wood, which is the same, although even soft fillings have strange capacities on tubular mechanics:thumbup1:

 

If at the end of the day the fell descission is made its always worth coring it rather than an expensive and prohibitive picus, this may suggest at the last minute that a fell is not needed