is this fungus growing on base of tree

[sammysung987]

I think this is an oak tree. Maybe someone can tell me if the tree is dying and need to be removed.
The whitish looks and feels like spray foam.

If you look all the way to the right circle in red, there was a round brain looking growth on the base, was white then bark grew over it. What is this?

Thanks for your help.

 

[MzHopsing]

I'm pretty sure those are ganoderma conks. We've seen those on a few of our woods trees, and they definitely will, in time, kill the tree. It's root rot, usually caused by mechanical (lawnmower/trimmer) damage. They'll form on wounds on the base/lower trunks and on exposed roots, which sure looks to be the case on the left side of your 1st picture where the callus from past damage has formed above the conk. The dead branches in your second picture is further evidence, but it's hard to say how advanced the rot may be.

I'm not an expert, but I'm sure some of the guys will have more to say on the matter. You should have an arborist come out and do an inspection if you can; but sadly, I've read that once the conks are in sight, it's usually too late.

 

[Jed1124]

MzHopsing is on the right track. Have an arborist come out for an inspection. Certainly looks like ganoderma on your oak. Fruiting bodies giving hints of internal decay. Are there any targets the tree can hit should it fail? Oaks have been living with these fungal pathogens since the beginning of time. They are not cause for immediate removal unless it can be shown that the decay has compromised the integrity of the trunk wood and there are targets, i.e. houses, play areas, car parking, that could be hit should the tree fail.
I feel like a broken record but make sure you call an arborist not a tree cutter to take a look. A person certified in tree risk assessment would be a good place to start.

 

[sammysung987]

There are targets that the top of the tree may hit(Its hard to judge the distance). I will call an arborist, who also happens to be a tree remover, come out to take a look. If no immediate danger, I can have it taken down in the dead of winter when the price is cheaper.

Just wondering how many dead branches is cause for concern? This tree doesnt seem to have that many. I have another tulip tree with more dead branches but the arborist that trimmed it never said it was of any concern.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[MzHopsing]

I read some years ago (I can't find the link now) that said once the conks are present there might be 3 to 5 years left in lifespan for the tree. This other arborist site gives the range at 10 to 15, but this includes the time period BEFORE the conks are present. Further down is the most key statement:

"Once the fruiting structure is evident, the fungus has often destroyed a large part of the tree’s ability to stay anchored to the earth, thus creating a potential for failure and a potentially dangerous situation."

 

[ATH]

I read some years ago (I can't find the link now) that said once the conks are present there might be 3 to 5 years left in lifespan for the tree. This other arborist site gives the range at 10 to 15, but this includes the time period BEFORE the conks are present. Further down is the most key statement:

"Once the fruiting structure is evident, the fungus has often destroyed a large part of the tree’s ability to stay anchored to the earth, thus creating a potential for failure and a potentially dangerous situation."

That is WAY too broad of a statement...more accurate if you are referring specifically to Ganoderma conks (which maybe that is what you meant)...but lets certainly not paint that picture of all conks!

Some conks indicate very localized decay. Some are signs of fungus that is very slowly attacking the heartwood, and the tree can stand for many decades - but it needs to be regularly inspected for structural integrity. There are differences between concerns with white rot and brown rot, etc...

 

[ATH]

...... I will call an arborist, who also happens to be a tree remover, come out to take a look. If no immediate danger, ....

Wanna guess what their recommendation will be? I have found that even if they are honest (most are, some are just looking for the next sale/job), there are several who just don't understand what to look for. If there is a hole in the tree or any signs of any decay "its gotta go - better be safe than sorry". (don't disagree with the quote, but do they really understand what is "safe", and what is not????)

Ask for a separate diagnostic service and expect to pay for it. Look on www.treesaregood.org for an arborist in your area, ideally one who is Tree Risk Assessment Qualified.

The job of the individual assessing the tree shouldn't be to determine for you whether the tree should be removed or not; but to assess the level of risk the tree presents and let you make your own decision based on your willingness to tolerate that risk.

 

[ropensaddle]

Wanna guess what their recommendation will be? I have found that even if they are honest (most are, some are just looking for the next sale/job), there are several who just don't understand what to look for. If there is a hole in the tree or any signs of any decay "its gotta go - better be safe than sorry". (don't disagree with the quote, but do they really understand what is "safe", and what is not????)

Ask for a separate diagnostic service and expect to pay for it. Look on www.treesaregood.org for an arborist in your area, ideally one who is Tree Risk Assessment Qualified.

The job of the individual assessing the tree shouldn't be to determine for you whether the tree should be removed or not; but to assess the level of risk the tree presents and let you make your own decision based on your willingness to tolerate that risk.

True and I have even been guilty, however; mainly when the customer flat says i need a tree removed. Other times I'm guilty are mainly species related such as; hackberry that was never structure pruned and now is mature filled with huge weak attachments

I still think this one had some life left

 

[ATH]

Hasn't blown over yet. Should be good to go.

Maybe just some crown thinning to reduce the wind's impact on the tree, and it should be good to go.

Did you climb that thing?? Unrelated, I was thinking of buying a life insurance policy on you. Would you mind signing here _____________ ?

 

[ropensaddle]

Hasn't blown over yet. Should be good to go.

Maybe just some crown thinning to reduce the wind's impact on the tree, and it should be good to go.

Did you climb that thing?? Unrelated, I was thinking of buying a life insurance policy on you. Would you mind signing here _____________ ?

Lol no climb set winch and a ratchet strap to keep the chair down! Nothing but compressionwood left lol

 

[ATH]

That is some STRONG wood to be holding at all.

Looks like you did a nice job getting it pulled against the lean.

 

[hardpan]

Lol no climb set winch and a ratchet strap to keep the chair down! Nothing but compressionwood left lol

Your back cut was the only decent wood. I know the strap is a level of security but why did you think it would not crush vertically once it tipped forward to the face cut rotten area? Did you put a healthy pull on it and blast through the back cut or a light feathered pull and inch through the back cut timed with the pull?
There is a reason you do what you do and I don't do what you do. LOL Impressive.

 

[ropensaddle]

Your back cut was the only decent wood. I know the strap is a level of security but why did you think it would not crush vertically once it tipped forward to the face cut rotten area? Did you put a healthy pull on it and blast through the back cut or a light feathered pull and inch through the back cut timed with the pull?
There is a reason you do what you do and I don't do what you do. LOL Impressive.

Lol yeah that cut was a buttclencher for sure but Yes I knew it would crush. I had my 20 ton winch on it with around 6 to 7k pretension cable was about 30 feet up I cut until it began to move then motioned to my helper to apply more pull and horsed it on over! Notice there is about an 8 inch thick hinge on both sides, admittedly not real sound wood though. It held long enough she fell where it was aimed. I worried about the right side letting lose and twisting into the monkey puzzle tree, which was why I also had a pre tensioned rope to swing it away if necessary and the heavy 4 inch binder to prevent chair!

 

[no tree to big]

There are targets that the top of the tree may hit(Its hard to judge the distance). I will call an arborist, who also happens to be a tree remover, come out to take a look. If no immediate danger, I can have it taken down in the dead of winter when the price is cheaper.

Just wondering how many dead branches is cause for concern? This tree doesnt seem to have that many. I have another tulip tree with more dead branches but the arborist that trimmed it never said it was of any concern.

Thanks for your advice.

Regarding the number of dead branches thing. Technically one dead branch could be a concern, is it tiny or huge? Is it over the yard or the house. Or you could have a tree with 20 dead branches in it that won't harm anything if they fall. The tree protects itself as limbs die sometimes these attatchment points heal great sometimes they dont, even when trimmed and cut properly some trees just decay. Now if the tree develops a hollow spot where that limb was then you are now in a different situation.

If you are saying there are only a few dead branches in your tree with the conks what's the big deal? The problem is not in the canopy it's the trees attachment to the ground. Some trees have perfectly healthy canopys because the good roots are providing enough nutrition but the root system is not strong enough. so it'll just fall over one day out of the blue. Your other tree may have had many dead limbs in the canopy but once trimmed there was now no hazard. In this tree If you trimmed it you would still have the root defect.

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[hseII]

Or you could have a tree with 20 dead branches in it that won't harm anything if they fall. The tree protects itself as limbs die sometimes these attatchment points heal great sometimes they dont, even when trimmed and cut properly some trees just decay. Now if the tree develops a hollow spot where that limb was then you are now in a different situation.

The problem is not in the canopy it's the trees attachment to the ground.

Some trees have perfectly healthy canopys because the good roots are providing enough nutrition but the root system is not strong enough. so it'll just fall over one day out of the blue.

In this tree If you trimmed it you would still have the root defect.

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Exactly