In message , lowlife
writes

hi i really need to find out what this shrub or tree is, as it has mould
on it that probably wants treating. i'll describe it and link 3 photo's
from photobucket (hope that's allowed).

firstly i live in surrey. the soil is clay but well mixed now. the
shrub is about 5 ft high, round in form with grey / brown smooth bark.
the buds are very small and staggered as opposed to pairs, and there
are no leaves on it at this time. on the end of each branch there is a
group of brown open seed pods. the fungi is clustered on the lower
branches and looks like white/pale cyan granules.

With alternate foliage and 5-loculate capsular fruits it could be
Hibiscus syriacus. (H. syriacus doesn't usually fruit in my neck of the
woods, but there's a plant in the town centre with similar looking
fruits, that if I recall correctly is H. syriacus.)

You don't happen to remember what the foliage or flowers look like?

For a selection of pictures of H. syriacus see

http://www.malvaceae.info/Genera/Hibiscus/galleryH.html

From where I sit the fungus look liked lichen, which is harmless, but
it's easy to misinterpret a photograph.

i've taken a pic of the tree, the pods and the fungus or whatever it
is

http://tinyurl.com/29ej9r

http://tinyurl.com/22c58j

http://tinyurl.com/2ghxb2

i hope they work. failing that, does anyone know of an online plant
finder?
thanks


--
Stewart Robert Hinsley