Ash Die Back? Opinions please

[Phil71]

Recently climbed this Ash to remove a large dead branch and noticed some diamond shaped lesions around a few branch collars and the tree seemed to be sprouting lower down in the canopy. I know that these are possible indicators of Ash dieback. I haven't seen the tree in leaf but thought I would post a few photos to see what you guys think. The tree is a mature Ash which has had no pruning carried out on it for at least a couple of years from what I could see.

 

Cheers

Phil

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I would say highly likey, good shout.

 

the bark dying back past the collar is a giveaway as i understand the progress occurs.

[Phil71]

Cheers for having a look, real shame if it is as the tree is a real feature of the garden. Guess I'll find out for sure in the Spring. Any idea if there are restrictions on what can be done with the waste if the tree does have it and is cut down?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

see here for all you need

 

Forestry Commission - Pests and diseases - Ash dieback (Chalara fraxinea)

[Graham]

Would there be that amount of callus around the lesions in the relatively short time the fungus has been here......unless of course it's been here far longer:sneaky2:

 

Were there any retained rachis on the tree? Looks like canker on some of the shoots but difficult to make out from the pics.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Would there be that amount of callus around the lesions in the relatively short time the fungus has been here......unless of course it's been here far longer:sneaky2:

 

Were there any retained rachis on the tree? Looks like canker on some of the shoots but difficult to make out from the pics.

 

 

Ive never seen die back at a collar like this on ash before so given the situation currently I would be on my toes in this case, needs a sample sending.

[Gary Prentice]

I can't remember the source, but I've read somewhere that it may have been here ten years. And given confirmed sites that could well be possible. I've seen an ash in the middle of Manchester that I suspect is infected.

[Gollum]

The posibility of Chalara in ash must not be ignored in this case,

 

how ever Nectria and chalara symptoms they look very similar.

Nectria in apples has been about for years and yes it can kill the trees if not controlled, and yes it can be controlled without condemning the whole tree.

 

Not forgetting certain strains of Fire blight that also shows the same symptoms of Chalara.

 

Pseudomonas Canker - In Ash.

This has been with us for many years, quite often on the older trees, and I have seen many old coppice trees suffering with Pseudomonas , and once coppiced some of the young shoots are killed off by Pseudomonas . Sometimes showing the identical symptoms of Chalara.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

The posibility of Chalara in ash must not be ignored in this case,

 

how ever Nectria and chalara symptoms they look very similar.

Nectria in apples has been about for years and yes it can kill the trees if not controlled, and yes it can be controlled without condemning the whole tree.

 

Not forgetting certain strains of Fire blight that also shows the same symptoms of Chalara.

 

Pseudomonas Canker - In Ash.

This has been with us for many years, quite often on the older trees, and I have seen many old coppice trees suffering with Pseudomonas , and once coppiced some of the young shoots are killed off by Pseudomonas . Sometimes showing the identical symptoms of Chalara.

 

this doesnt look like a slow nectria or regular ash canker, both of which are slower and have rougher edges?

[Gollum]

this doesnt look like a slow nectria or regular ash canker, both of which are slower and have rougher edges?

 

Agree with regular ash canker in later stages, but not nectria.

How dose Fire blight enter into your train of thought Tony.

I know it mainly associated with rosaceae