Diseased Sycamore?

[Alec]

Hi all, I work with trees however not really clued up on signs of disease's and what it means for the management of a tree.

 

My grandparents neighbours had a guy in carrying out some work on their trees and he noticed their large sycamore and stopped by to tell them it is diseased and recommended having it removed. I wanted to come on here and get your opinion (not that I distrust his professionalism, just thought it wise as he potentially has some invested interest in carrying out the work if they decide to remove it).

 

The tree is a multi stem Sycamore right on the edge of a small stream.

 

Fungus and black charcoal textured substance near the Base of the tree, back of the tree in shade all day and on the stream side of the trunk. There is also a good amount of dead wood up the tree.

 

 

 

 

If anyone would be able to share some wisdom I would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

Alec

[Gary Prentice]

Looks like kretzchmaris deusta. Normally ends in a brittle, ceramic type fracture. Not good as a rule.

[Stubby]

Think its in decline just from the view of the crown .

[swinny]

Looks like kretzchmaris deusta. Normally ends in a brittle, ceramic type fracture. Not good as a rule.

 

yup Kretz

[Johny Walker]

yup Kretz

 

:001_rolleyes:

:lol:

[treeseer]

What's the objective?

 

Kd in sinuses may not be a big issue for a long while. If they like the tree, sell pruning, if the dead branches bother them.

 

Smart to ? professionalism of the whacker.

[Alec]

Well my grandparents are pretty happy for it coming down if there is any risk, no matter how small a risk, of it being unsafe. It is in reach of there house, just about. If that answers your question treeseer.

 

stubby, is your view of it being in decline just down to the age and life span of the tree, or as a result of the disease?

 

Out of interest what would your recommendations be in such a tree? (understand it is difficult to say with sertanty with such little info).

[Stubby]

 

stubby, is your view of it being in decline just down to the age and life span of the tree, or as a result of the disease?

 

 

 

Possible combination of both I would say . I am 62 and I am in decline !

[Gary Prentice]

Off the top of my head and without revising, I think KD operates in two modes of decay, which allows it to circumvent the barriers of cell walls. This makes it in Matthecks words 'a nasty little rotter'.

 

From experience I imagine the decline is due to hydraulic dysfunction due to decay. The more decline the more the fungus has colonised. I've felled a few sycs with barely any live foliage which were almost completely decayed (to some degree) across the basal cross section.

[Alec]

Thanks for that Gary. Would you expect to see a large amount of decay and rot in this tree or is it still early days in terms of decay?