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Pls help! Is this fungus killing my trees?

17 years ago

I have both a lilac bush and some type of flowering tree planted side-by-side. Both have multiple dead branches and stems with some type of fungus on them. There are several different types; one is yellowish, another is blue/green. Are these fungi killing my trees? Or do they grow on branches that are already dead?

This is from the trunk of the flowering tree: several of the branches have died, but otherwise the tree seems ok.

Thank you!!!

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Comments (2)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
The top two are fungi that are busy at work decomposing the dead wood of your two trees. There may be entire branches that are dead or the fungus has entered the dead heartwood and is feeding off of it. Typically, these fungi are a sign that you tree is already dead or had considerable dead in it and is being decomposed by these fungal organisms. There is nothing you can do other than to keep all dead wood pruned out of a plant and to make proper pruning cuts when you do so. I saw signs of improper pruning (stubs) which can be a major way of introducing disease causing agents into a woody plant body.

The third image illustrates harmless lichen using the tree as a physical support. Lichen can grow on rocks! Should you have a tree with a very heavy lichen crop, it 'might' mean that your tree is in trouble, not caused by the lichen, however.
starpooh
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you rhizo_1! I'll do some research on proper pruning.
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or is it dying because of this? =====>>>> the second pic ... shows fungus which indicates that the interior has been dead long enough.. in tree time.. for the interior to rot .. imo ... i should be removed ... and then you will find out if the rot goes into the trunk ... not seeing the whole thing .. when you say there is overall decline ...i would speculate that if there is not much left of the tree .. its probably a goner.. in tree time ... in the mean time.. you can learn a lot about pruning and tree health.. by pruning it over the next few years.. and just observe what happens ... when removing a large branch ... start out at the perimeter.. and work your way to the trunk ... removing hanging weight so that by the time you get to the trunk .. you can make a clean proper cut ... the best thing for that project is a good tree saw ... ken ps: if you like the tree .. perhaps for spring flower ... now would be the time to perfect the ID and plant a new one.. so as this one declines ... the new one will get settled in and growing ... in spring.. get pix of flowers and leaves for the ID ...
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