Copper beech fungus

[Sickcopperbeech]

Hello

I'm hoping somebody might be able to help me

We bought a house at the start of the year and it has a huge copper beech at the front

Before we purchased the house, we were told one had to be removed from the back and a neighbour also had one removed due to disease

We are waiting for planning permission so not currently living in the house

We went to see the house today and notices there are three seperate breakouts of fungus at the base of the tree

Can anyone identify the fungus? And is it terminal for the tree? The tree has a TPO. Do we have to go through planning to have it removed?

We are on an estate and a couple have fallen down....I'm worried with winter approaching

Many thanks

Ps I've attached a picture, you can just seen another of the breakouts to the left hand side

[slack ma girdle]

Giant polypore.

[treequip]

meripilus giganteus

 

 

Long term prognosis is bad

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meripilus_giganteus

[Sickcopperbeech]

Thank you

A quick search on Dr Google says it doesn't look good for my tree

This is a picture of the other side of the tree with the breakouts. We thought they looked a bit different to the third (larger) one

Thank you again

[sloth]

Agreed it is Meripilus giganteus, and traditional thinking is that on beech a fell is the only sensible option; however with more current thinking, if you are keen to retain the tree then there is more to it than "beech + merip = fell". So don't call it a gonna too soon...

[10 Bears]

I agree Sloth - not an immediate terminal case, *but* those fruiting bodies are very tight into the stem and a reasonable size so the decay in affected roots may be extensive.

 

In truth, the only real way to tell will be a root excavation job at various points looking to the underneath of the root for decay extent - or investigation by TreeRadar which is amazingly expensive and good luck finding a contractor in the UK. With either method you can make a more informed decision.

[Sickcopperbeech]

Thank you very much for your help & guidance, really appreciate it

[Paul Cleaver]

it seems you may have a merip infestation in the immediate area with other beeches being removed

[Logrod]

Out of interest with this sort of infestation if you end up felling the tree...

 

is the timber worth doing anything with other than burning?

 

what is it safe to replant with?

[Steve Bullman]

What are the targets? If its roadside i'd be concerned, if its in the middle of a lawn or somewhere else less frequented then less so.

[Gary Prentice]

I agree Sloth - not an immediate terminal case, *but* those fruiting bodies are very tight into the stem and a reasonable size so the decay in affected roots may be extensive.

 

In truth, the only real way to tell will be a root excavation job at various points looking to the underneath of the root for decay extent - or investigation by TreeRadar which is amazingly expensive and good luck finding a contractor in the UK. With either method you can make a more informed decision.

 

Third option is a SIA. I assisted on one with Paul Muir of Treework Environmental Practice last year and almost certainly would have condemned the tree prior to the test.