Citrus trees are no strangers to bouts of fungus and lichens growing on the trunk, foliage and branches. These generally unwelcome guests are a plantlike organism that are often misunderstood. Some people will go to great lengths to remove the lichen growth from their fruit trees. But it's important to know that if you have lichens or fungus on your fruit trees, it may be a sign of a more serious underlying problem.

Lichens are impressive organisms that consist of alga and fungus growing together. They can have a branch, leaf or hairlike appearance and can grow flat against the surface or hang down from tree branches. Lichens have gotten a bad rap and are often accused of negatively affecting the fruit tree they are growing on. But lichens are not parasitic and won’t harm the tree. Lichens grow on trees that are declining, so their appearance on your fruit tree is a sure sign something is wrong with the tree.

While lichens generally don’t harm the tree, an abundance of lichen can result in poor growing conditions for the fruit tree. For example, lichens or fungus growing on the leaves can interfere with photosynthesis process while a thick growth of lichens on stems could add extra weight that results in damage twigs. Thankfully, lichens and fungus are nothing to be concerned about in small numbers and provide various benefits. The larvae of lacewings -- beneficial predatory insects that preys on undesirable pests -- use lichens as camouflage. Several species of birds and small mammals use lichens as nesting material.

Lichens typically only affect the appearance of the fruit trees, but you may want to remove it anyway. Unfortunately, no chemicals will remove the lichens from fruit trees safely. If the type of lichen growing on the tree has a hair or mosslike appearance and hangs from the branches, you can manually remove them from the plant. When removing hanging lichens, carefully lift them off the branches instead of jerking it off the tree. This will help prevent damage to the tree. If possible, wait until the tree is dormant to remove the lichens.

Keeping your Citrus trees healthy and maintaining their vigor goes a long way to prevent fungus and lichens from growing on a plant. Always follow the recommended growing requirements -- watering, lighting conditions and fertilizing -- for the specific species of fruit trees. This will promote a healthy tree with a thick canopy, which reduces the possibility of lichen growth. Proper growing conditions and soil fertility can stimulate plant growth and inhibit lichens. . Lightly pruning limbs covered with lichens or fungus can help prevent the spread of these organisms and stimulate the fruit tree's growth.

Have a nice day.

Mike

A copper sulfate spray will kill the fungus side of the "critter" and prevent further growth; it is one of the reasons a lot of commercial growers spray with copper once or twice a year.