Tillingham Trees, Tree Surgeons for East Sussex and Kent!
We are now entering the late summer and working our way towards autumn when the trees will give us a good show of colour. During this time Fungi will start to show their presence, in the form of fruiting bodies on and around trees. The most common forms for these fruiting bodies to take is that of mushrooms and toad stools around the base and root plate of the tree, and brackets which grow from the buttresses, trunk and scaffold branches (larger branches) of trees. Not all fungi pose a threat to trees; in fact, many have complicated and beneficial relationships with trees. However, some are a threat to the trees on which they grow. These invasive species of fungi break down the dead and sometimes the living wood within the tree (heart and sap wood) to provide themselves with energy. As they break down the wood they affect the structural integrity of the timber and therefore that of the whole tree. In some cases this may not result in failure and it is important to know the difference. Accurate diagnosis of the fungi species and understanding the likely rate of wood degradation within the tree is crucial to making the correct plan for appropriate works. It is often the case that the tree will need to be removed; however, there may be other solutions which do not require removal.
Making sure you take time throughout the year to look around the base and into the scaffold branches of your trees for signs of weakness, dead wood, die back and fungus fruiting bodies (look all around the tree) could save you from the inconvenience of damage to property, injury or worse. Now and into autumn is a good time to observe your trees and look for those signs. If you have any concerns about possible problems with your trees why not have a look at our services and give us a call on 01797 230 873.
The following pictures show some examples of the fungle fruiting bodies to look for on and around your trees, please note that this is not an exhaustive list by any manner of means and should you find anything on your trees that concerns you, call us!
Fallen Ash Tree showing presance of Honey fungus (Armillaria sp). fruiting bodies on the root plate (white arrows).
Detail of honey fungus (Armillaria sp). Fruiting bodies of honey fungus vary greatly, most lack scales.
