In article ,
"Spider" writes:
|
| I'm reasonably sure ...? Now you're making me wonder. Strawberries are
| supposed to be troubled by it, though, and they're not woody. Perhaps
| another urgler knows for sure?

I know for sure that it isn't half as infectious as is made out,
but has been reported to kill some semi-woody plants as well as
woody ones. Whether they were sensitive species, it was fluke,
or it was really some other fungus is less clear.

I have the same suspicion about coral spot. I have seen it on
a great many trees and shrubs and it has restricted itself to
dead twigs and branches. Now, it has been claimed to be a killer,
but is that true? Nobody has EVER provided me with ANY evidence
that the actual killing isn't done by some other organism (say,
one of the fungi imperfecti, fireblight or whatever) and the coral
spot has got the blame - just as woodlice do.

I know from actual observation that coral spot can produce
fruiting bodies within a few weeks of a branch dying, so it is
not possible to tell except by a controlled experiment or some
heavyweight tissue culture.

Much the same is true of honey fungus. If it were the rampant
killer that it is made out to be, none of our ancient woodlands
would exist, and there would be large areas where little could
be planted. Well, obviously, that ain't so.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.