Birch root plate movement

[Eddy_t]

It's quite windy where I am, there is a birch next to the stable I keep my horse in. The root plate is moving about half inch, and I've always been taught root plate movement is bad, question is how buggered is this tree?

 

 

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[Charles Hey Arborist]

Bit of a blurry photo, can't make out much.

 

Any reason you can see why it might be moving? Honey fungus?

 

 

Charlie.

 

 

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[Eddy_t]

Bit of a blurry photo, can't make out much.

 

Any reason you can see why it might be moving? Honey fungus?

 

 

Charlie.

 

 

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Very compacted soil, it has tar spots pretty much all round, quite a few dead branches in it too, oh and it's had stuff nailed to it! I have discussed with land owner to remove it, but seeing the movement today, it's coming down on the weekend, if not sooner!

 

 

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[Warren Stirling]

If thats a black exude on the stem, then I would suspect the honey monster to. in what way is the root plate moving, one side lifting or crack appearing?

[Eddy_t]

If thats a black exude on the stem, then I would suspect the honey monster to. in what way is the root plate moving, one side lifting or crack appearing?

 

One side dropping into the soil, other side is lifting up out the soil, don't think it's HF as have not seen FB around, quite a few birch have the spots round here tbf and I haven't seen it fruit anywhere

 

 

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[Warren Stirling]

Well whatever it is,movement like that+target=warm fire next winter.

[daltontrees]

Honey Fungus doesn't always produce fruiting bodies, and as far as I can tell may only produce them when it has pretty much finished off its host. It could have decayed roots or killed the cambium enought to have cut off supply of nutrients to roots, causing them to die back and/or lose strength. Either way, rootplate movement like you describe would be enough to have me take the tree down regardless of what's wrong with it. A healthy birch should whip around in a strong wind, not teeter at the base.

If you do take it down, any chance of examining the base a bit closer and letting us know what you find? In particular, maybe try prising off the bark close to the spots and see what's under there, like bootlaces or white sheets of mycelia.

[Eddy_t]

Sure will do, if it helps, those tar spots bleed a red/brown fluid sometimes, and the wood underneath is discoloured red and is soft but not too much

 

 

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[Eddy_t]

This is the colour of the wood under the bark

 

 

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[Eddy_t]

Just found a fungi, anyone know what it is?

 

 

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