Dying trees - need help with ID of fungus
- Thread starter Doc Stew
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Lichen on the stems is cosmetic not a pathogenic fungus. Your Cherry & Plum have been improperly planted then mechanically damaged & most likely attacked by borers. Advice, remove & replace.
More details:
Lichens often grow larger on dead/dying trees because there is more sunlight on the bark, which fuels the growth of the algae, which in turn fuels the growth of the fungus (lichens are a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae - or sometimes cyanobacteria instead of algae). Point being: it is common to see more of this on a dead tree, which generates a lot of questions because it does look like that is associated with the death...it is complete innocent - just wrong place wrong time (or is it the right place/time?).
By "improperly planted", that is planted too deep. A chronic problem these days, unfortunately.
Lichens often grow larger on dead/dying trees because there is more sunlight on the bark, which fuels the growth of the algae, which in turn fuels the growth of the fungus (lichens are a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae - or sometimes cyanobacteria instead of algae). Point being: it is common to see more of this on a dead tree, which generates a lot of questions because it does look like that is associated with the death...it is complete innocent - just wrong place wrong time (or is it the right place/time?).
By "improperly planted", that is planted too deep. A chronic problem these days, unfortunately.
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