distressed trees

[disraelirex]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new. I just lost 2 trees to high winds & carpenter ants. Upon investigating, I've noticed several different trees, redbud & burr oak display the same thing on their bark as the ones I lost. One is a green or yellowish mold or fungus????? Coupled with what appears to be a blue greyish (lichen maybe). The bark peels easily. Can someone educate me please? Thanks in advance.

 

[JeffE]

Pictures would help. It sounds like lichen, which is completely harmless to trees, but may become more prolific on the trunk if the tree is declining (thus allowing more light to penetrate through the canopy). Similarly, the carpenter ants are indicators of rotten areas in the trunk; they generally do not excavate their nests into sound wood, and they aren't direct causes of tree decline. If the bark peels easily, that usually means that the tree is pretty far gone.

What sort of setting is this - forest, yard, or what? Were these old or young trees?

 

[disraelirex]

Hi Jeff,

Yard. 2 1/2 acres. redbuds 18 yrs old. Burr Oaks about 7 yrs.
thanks in advance.

 

[JeffE]

I can't quite make out the detail of the green stuff , but it looks like algae. Might be a lichen (which is a symbiosis of an algae and a fungus). It isn't a pathogenic fungus, and isn't anything to worry about. The blue-greyish stuff is indeed lichen.

If that green stuff is only found at the base of the tree, and you use sprinkler irrigation, it might indicate excessive watering.

 

[disraelirex]

Hi Jeff,

No it's not just around the base of the trees. It goes way up the trunk. The one redbud I suspect the white stuff is caused by bugs or fungus. Since the oak was the last to leaf out, this concerns me also. Spring here was non existent. We've had a few good drenching rains, but still way below normal. I haven't watered the trees yet, as we are just now approaching the hot weather. When, I do water, I try to use a root feeder. Surface watering is wasted time, energy & water as I am high on a hill. The winds dry out this clay soil rapidly. Thank you for your help. All recommendations are appreciated.

 

[JeffE]

Hi Jeff,

No it's not just around the base of the trees. It goes way up the trunk. The one redbud I suspect the white stuff is caused by bugs or fungus. Since the oak was the last to leaf out, this concerns me also.

I noticed the white stuff, and it does look somewhat fungus-y as far as I can make out in the picture. Such things are often an indicator of an area of rot in the center, which is not uncommon.

A call to a certified arborist might be in order. You have some trees that are showing signs of decline, and you might or might not have some site conditions that are contributing, but that sort of sleuthing can be difficult to accomplish over the web.

 

[treeseer]

Jeff is right; green stuff is not a problem, and you need an arborist on site. White stuff is a fungus; looks like Stereumm but the tree seems to be closing over the infection and that is a good thing.

 

[disraelirex]

Treeseer,

Thank you for the advice. I do believe you're right. When I bought this place 20 yrs. ago it had 3 small mimosa's & 1 black jack. I have veins of sandstone running through the lot which dictates where things will be planted. That, coupled with heavy clay soil & possibly all my efforts are fruitless.