Advice for Tree Fungus on 200+ year old Hackberry Tree

[TimVA21]

We've noticed that a tree fungus of some sort has been growing around an old Hackberry Tree where an old lightning rod cable had eventually grown into the trunk of the tree. We've since gotten new cabling placed on the tree to avoid strikes.

It's been present at the location about 3 months at least, and the other day I knocked 3/4 of it off, but the rest is like a hard sponge and even mostly solid. Assuming this was a good move? Location of the fungus is about 3/4 way up the main trunk on one side. Rest of the tree looks very healthy otherwise.
The tree is from Monticello and one of, if not the biggest Hackberry in the state of VA we are told.
I have enclosed before and after pics, and pics of the fungus I knocked off.

How should we proceed to cure the tree of this infection?

 

[Raintree]

Heart rot decay fungus fruiting body, structural integrity of the tree is the issue not tree health. Need a bigger picture of the tree and surrounding area to advise. With your concern for this specimen Hackberry it's best to have a professional put eyes on it.

 

[TimVA21]

Heart rot decay fungus fruiting body, structural integrity of the tree is the issue not tree health. Need a bigger picture of the tree and surrounding area to advise. With your concern for this specimen Hackberry it's best to have a professional put eyes on it.

Thanks, I will end up doing that. I'll put up a recent pic as soon as I get back to the location. Fall picture is from Dec '19, and other is May '20...for some reason I think when they installed new cable they sprayed something around the old wire in Fall pic. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't remember. I don't think any fugus would grow on a protective measure would it? We had a tree person trim a few limbs on side near house to prevent anything major falling on it about 5-6 years ago.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Raintree]

It's not uncommon for a tree of this age to have decay. With fruiting bodies growing in the main crotch the obvious concern is the tree splitting apart. This is what an arborist will need to assess. Can the defective tree parts be mitigated with a support system if in fact warranted.

 

[Ax-man]

Look at pic #2 and the pic in your second post. That main crotch is an accident waiting to happen but also look at the two different shades of gray. The tree parts that have the lighter gray or off colored bark is where the tree has the dry rot. Those Hackberry trees are notorious for a disease that is like a white dry rot that infects that infects the integrity of the wood in the main stem , root collar and main crotches. The disease usually doesn't reveal itself till the tree fails in some way especially in a heavy wind storm . Your lucky this tree is giving you a sign. Don't ignore it and have the tree checked out before it fails and ends up on a structure.

The disease I am talking about is common in old Hackberry trees. I can't remember the name exactly but the name starts with a P and I am not sure how to spell it I think it is Phytophthora. This disease works different than other types of canker rot type diseases in that it doesn't consume the wood creating decay or hollows in stems or at the root collar . It consumes the wood internally just under the bark like I stated before it is kind of a dry rot . About the only sign to be able to tell if the tree is diseased is the color of the bark. It can be active in a tree for years even decades because it works slowly until the tree fails in some way. You have to have a sharp eye as to what good sound bark and wood looks like.

Not trying to be an alarmist but this is a personal opinion when I was active in the tree biz. I never trusted an old Hackberry tree. When heavy winds would blow through our area those trees were high on the list for failures mainly from weak crotches but also from internal problems or just uproot right out the ground . Good luck and have the tree looked at by someone who is familiar with the species for a second opinion. Personally I would remove it.