Dogwood Slime

Strange slime appeared on my large, ancient,fading dogwood tree last week. Almost looks as if a deer threw up except we have no deer in the neighborhood. (near Annapolis,Maryland). It seems to have started on an old limb stub about chest high and flows to the ground. Consistancy of oatmeal and dual colored in streaks like the orange and white of a popsickle. Scraping some off, it doesn't seem to have oozed from the wood, but I can't tell for sure - no obvious wounds. Is this some sort of fungus? Most of the white seems to have washed off in the rain the last couple of days.

We'll see if at blooms on schedule next month.

I put some pictures up on alt.binaries.pictures.gardens.

Any help appreciated.

Bob Kirk

Reply to
Isobar
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Sounds like an opportunistic /adventitious growth of yeast and/or bacteria that are utilizing the sugars in exuded sap coming from old cuts, pruning, and breaks in the trees. Nothing to be alarmed about, but the fact that the plants are weeping high-sugar sap is. This should not be happening.

Reply to
Mike LaMana

This does not sound good. If the tree has value, have an arborist take a look at it. The slime may be a type of fungus, and that's not a good sign for a living tree. Dogwood trees are very prone to disease, and if they are bruised they heal slowly. At the least, keeping the tree clean should help.

Reply to
Phisherman

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