On 23/1/07 20:42, in article lid, "Stewart Robert
Hinsley" wrote:

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

We think the pods are too pointed for that and Ray suggests Pseudocamellia
stewartia in which the seed pod is very hard. If it's Fremontodendron we'd
expect it to have foliage on still but you never know! Their seed pods are
furry and quite soft.

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

It's almost certainly lichen and will do the plant no harm, so can be safely
left alone. It's a sign of clean air and low pollution, so is to be
welcomed.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)