Unidentifed fungi

[Janec]

Hi,
This fungi is growing on an old plum tree.
It's been there a couple of years now.
I've had a look through the pictures on here and can't find anything exactly the same.
It's about a foot long.
Can anyone help with identification and what it is doing to the tree and if we should do anything about it?
Thanks
Jane

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Janec

Hi,
This fungi is growing on an old plum tree.
It's been there a couple of years now.
I've had a look through the pictures on here and can't find anything exactly the same.
It's about a foot long.
Can anyone help with identification and what it is doing to the tree and if we should do anything about it?
Thanks
Jane

on that host it's almost certainly Phellinus pomaceus; it causes a white soft-rot; I don't what you can do about it (or even whether you need to)

best wishes

Chris

[Janec]

Thanks Chris,
Much appreciated
Jane

[fairplay]

Jane,

If the fungus has been there 'a couple of years now' I would imagine it has infected the whole tree by now, but all the same, I would still remove all the dead wood, as this may slow down the decay process.
Do not bother to 'paint' the pruning cuts as this serves no purpose.

Neil.

[Janec]

Thanks Neil,
I can do that as it is only on one branch at the moment.
How does it reproduce?
I'm wondering if it will spread to other trees in the garden and is it particular to only one kind of tree?
Jane

[fairplay]

Without looking on a database, it seems to be specific to members of the Prunus family, but is more often found on Blackthorn trees.

Presumably it spreads (from tree to tree) by fungal spores entering a wound, such as damaging the bark with a strimmer or lawn mower, kids carving their initials on a tree or simply pruning.

These trees are also susceptible to attack by an attractive purple fungus called Chondrostereum purpureum. This is by far the most serious pest to Plum trees, esp. Victoria plum, but this too can be kept in check by cutting out dead wood and burning it well away from the orchard.

To avoid getting this disease called Silver Leaf Disease, it is recommended you only prune plum trees in late Spring - early Summer. (when less spores will be floating about)

Neil.

[Janec]

Thanks Neil,
Orchard?? I wish, always wanted an orchard.
Is it better to leave this for now then and remove in April/May time or will it be spreading it's spores as we speak?

[hamadryad]

P, pomaceus=tuberculosis is as stated very common on prunus especially spinosa the blackthorn which makes up a lot of our native hedgrows. Being a biotrophic parasite (correct me if thats wrong) it is causing decline in the tree but only in so much as old trees wain and fungi just mop them up.

I found a lovely set of brackets in a very old tierd hedgrow recently that had insect bore holes and obvious woodpecker drilling for the beetles, must be a lot of associated ecology with these.

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by Janec

Thanks Neil,
Orchard?? I wish, always wanted an orchard.
Is it better to leave this for now then and remove in April/May time or will it be spreading it's spores as we speak?

We are normally told 'When conditions are right' meaning there is not really a precise time when spores are produced, although in general when fruiting bodies are produced and they mature to produce spores, this is all done in a short window from roughly September to November, but every year is slightly different with this year being VERY different - I found a 'Beefsteak' bracket fungus only last week - I would normally expect to see no trace of these by now.

Even after spores have been released and dispersed, it is possible some may be resting on an evergreen leaf such as Holly, where it may stay for an indeterminate time until strong winds are able to set it in motion again.
I can only assume the spores stay 'viable' for at least a year, so to advise pruning be done in late Spring sounds like a good compromise to me.

Neil.

[Janec]

Thanks Neil and hamadryad,
I'll add that to his jobs to do in Spring list.