fungus

[undautri]

hello im new here so don't know if im posting in the right place or not

Ive recently noticed fungus growing on the trunk of my plum tree and hope someone can help me regarding saving the tree

should i pull the fungus off or not thanks in advance

kath

[Hypatia Nachshon]

You need to give your location.

Also, have you visited any Web sites about the problem. If so what did they say that leaves you seeking more info?

HB

HB

[David E. Ross]

Bad news! With fungus growing that high, your tree might already be dead.

Stone fruits -- especially peaches, but also plums, cherries, and apricots -- are not long-lived. I'm not sure about the others, but I read that commercial peach orchards are bulldozed and replanted after about 15 years. The trees might linger longer than that, but they decline severely.

I know of a stand of ornamental cherries that were planted not more than

14 years ago that also have fungus on their trunks. They were planted in basins when they should have been planted on mounds. They are dying of root rot because the basins cause water to accumulate and stand at the base of the trunks. The fungus on their trunks is merely a symptom of their dying, not a cause.

[Brooklyn1]

That's a type of bracket/shelf fungi. Being it's on the trunk there isn't much to be done save remove the tree, there is no known cure... by the time the fruiting bodies appear the tree's interior is too far gone from decay... were it on a branch I'd say remove the branch but you can't remove the trunk. From the look of that trunk diameter it appears to be a rather old plum tree at the end of it's life, much weakened which is likely why it became a good host for fungi. That tree is already very weak, have it removed before it falls and causes serious damage to nearby structures.

[Fran Farmer]

I didn't like the look of the vertical splits in the bark on the trunks.

[undautri]

thank you all so much for your help guess its got to go which is a pity as ive had loads of fruit off it - even this year

i think i planted it about 12 years ago so its not young my next question is i have recently - last month- planted 2 apple trees in the nearbu area are they likely to get infected ? and i also have a large cherry and a coxes apple in the area too that have been there a while - are they likely to get it too ?

thank you kath

[Moe DeLoughan]

This isn't an infection. The fungus colonized the tree because the tree was already in the process of decay. As long as your other trees are alive and healthy and have no decayed wood, they won't get a fungus.

[undautri]

thank you very much for your speedy reply - im so relieved xkath

[Steve Peek]

I agree, this fungus is not a pathogen but rather a wood rotter. It appeared only to decompose the dead wood.