Fungi Id

[chris23a]

Can anyone tell me what this fungi is? I found a lot of it growing on a rather poor looking mature Ash. I was originally planning on pollarding the tree but after discovering this im wandering whether I should just fell it?

[sloth]

All that cocoa dusting the leaves is spores, typical of a Ganoderma species, possibly applanatum in this case. Many hollow old ash pollards full of this fungi...

 

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[sean]

Despite the presence of these brackets they still may not warrant felling the tree. Subject to further investigation of course.

[armybloke]

Got a PICUS? It will inform you of your next action in terms of management

[daltontrees]

Can anyone tell me what this fungi is? I found a lot of it growing on a rather poor looking mature Ash. I was originally planning on pollarding the tree but after discovering this im wandering whether I should just fell it?

 

The pictures are clear enough to suggest Ganoderma sp and associated stem weakening. But you havent' shown size or shape of tree, presence of roads and footpaths nearby, buildings likely to be hit and so forth. It's not a fungus ID issue it's a risk asessment and duty of care issue.

[chris23a]

The pictures are clear enough to suggest Ganoderma sp and associated stem weakening. But you havent' shown size or shape of tree, presence of roads and footpaths nearby, buildings likely to be hit and so forth. It's not a fungus ID issue it's a risk asessment and duty of care issue.

 

Here is a photo of the tree, (apologies for the poor photo quality my camera was on a special setting). The tree is located in a hedge directly alongside a small country road with both LV and phone lines running through it. The tree is quite bare already and has a fair bit of dead wood, most of the new growth seems to be coming from the bottom of the tree. The clients main concern is safety and if there is any chance the tree could fall over im sure he would be happy enough to take it down.

[daltontrees]

It looks like G. applanatum to me. If it is, it's not going to be very aggressive but it is what it says about the condition of the butt that is sounding hollow. Personally I would eb thinking (risk assessment-wise) Likelihood of failure medium to high, severity of harm to persons high, severity of harm to wires etc low to medium, target presence of persons low, target presence of wires etc high (permanent), overall risk tolerable but high end of tolerable. Then I'd be thinking are there any reasons to retain it that outweight the risk? It looks rubbish and has not future, so no. Then I'd think, what is the appropriate course of action that would reduce the risk to acceptable? Probably reducing its wind resistance by pruning it right back. Then i'd think, well if it didn't look rubbish before then it's going to look awful after pruning, and the pruning is going to knock the tree for six, meaning potentially removing it in 5 years time. Then i'd be thinking what if it could be taken right back to a pole so that it cna be left to die and provide habitat?

 

Then I'd offer the client the options, prune and monitor, remove completely or habitat pole.

 

But first I'd tap it with a mallet.

 

Can you let us know what comes of it, especially if you are told to remove it, I'd love to see a section through the butt.

[chris23a]

It looks like G. applanatum to me. If it is, it's not going to be very aggressive but it is what it says about the condition of the butt that is sounding hollow. Personally I would eb thinking (risk assessment-wise) Likelihood of failure medium to high, severity of harm to persons high, severity of harm to wires etc low to medium, target presence of persons low, target presence of wires etc high (permanent), overall risk tolerable but high end of tolerable. Then I'd be thinking are there any reasons to retain it that outweight the risk? It looks rubbish and has not future, so no. Then I'd think, what is the appropriate course of action that would reduce the risk to acceptable? Probably reducing its wind resistance by pruning it right back. Then i'd think, well if it didn't look rubbish before then it's going to look awful after pruning, and the pruning is going to knock the tree for six, meaning potentially removing it in 5 years time. Then i'd be thinking what if it could be taken right back to a pole so that it cna be left to die and provide habitat?

 

Then I'd offer the client the options, prune and monitor, remove completely or habitat pole.

 

But first I'd tap it with a mallet.

 

Can you let us know what comes of it, especially if you are told to remove it, I'd love to see a section through the butt.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to give all that advice, I will give the client the option of either felling or pollarding the tree, either way I should be doing it in about 4 weeks and will put up some photos if I do fell it. Many thanks.

[Kevcal]

Could you name this fungus. It's at the base of a old line tree , the root plate is damaged with rot so could do with info on the fungus.

[Paul Cleaver]

It looks like G. applanatum to me. If it is, it's not going to be very aggressive but it is what it says about the condition of the butt that is sounding hollow. Personally I would eb thinking (risk assessment-wise) Likelihood of failure medium to high, severity of harm to persons high, severity of harm to wires etc low to medium, target presence of persons low, target presence of wires etc high (permanent), overall risk tolerable but high end of tolerable. Then I'd be thinking are there any reasons to retain it that outweight the risk? It looks rubbish and has not future, so no. Then I'd think, what is the appropriate course of action that would reduce the risk to acceptable? Probably reducing its wind resistance by pruning it right back. Then i'd think, well if it didn't look rubbish before then it's going to look awful after pruning, and the pruning is going to knock the tree for six, meaning potentially removing it in 5 years time. Then i'd be thinking what if it could be taken right back to a pole so that it cna be left to die and provide habitat?

 

Then I'd offer the client the options, prune and monitor, remove completely or habitat pole.

 

But first I'd tap it with a mallet.

 

Can you let us know what comes of it, especially if you are told to remove it, I'd love to see a section through the butt.

 

an excellent evaluation sir