On Sunday, October 4, 2020 at 6:05:49 PM UTC+1, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

(Nick) Thanks for the thoughts, but I'm puzzled about your Bracket Fungus idea.
- I can't see any Bracket Fungus (possibility of one tiny bit). The object I
am calling a 'gall' is not a fungus, I am pretty sure. It's quite woody
- From my readig, Bracket fungus lives on dying wood, but doesn't cause the
dying.
Can you explain a bit more? Thanks

Most bracket fungi ARE woody - you can even use them as fuel. Your
description indicated that the fungus hadn't actually killed the
plant directly - just caused it to fall over - which is very typical
of a heartwood-destroying fungus. As I said, some plants (like oak)
are adapted to such things, and often live longer with no heartwood
left in their trunk than while there still was some.

Fungi like coral fungus live on dead sapwood, but many others (like
at least many bracket fungi) live on heartwood (instead or as well).
The thing to remember is that, in most broad-leaved, non-tropical
woody plants, heartwood IS dead. Most conifers and some tropical
plants are different.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Hi Nick
so you think that the 'gall' I picture in photos #6 and #7 are a
bracket fungus? If so it is the only one.

To expand on my original statement - it looks like it was the sponginess
of the trunks/crown which led to the whole thing toppling down. And yes,
the majority of the leaves seemed fine; similar to those of the newer shoots
you can see coming from the crown.

I suppose it is possible that despite the healthy-looking leaves, the whole
things could have been about to die. would it have been possible for the upper
branches and leaves to have obtained sustenance through the spongy crown,
do you think?

Thanks
J^n

In article ,
wrote:

so you think that the 'gall' I picture in photos #6 and #7 are a
bracket fungus? If so it is the only one.

Yes. That's normal.

To expand on my original statement - it looks like it was the sponginess
of the trunks/crown which led to the whole thing toppling down. And yes,
the majority of the leaves seemed fine; similar to those of the newer shoots
you can see coming from the crown.

Very typical of a heartwood-destroying fungus attack.

I suppose it is possible that despite the healthy-looking leaves, the whole
things could have been about to die. would it have been possible for the upper
branches and leaves to have obtained sustenance through the spongy crown,
do you think?

As Chris says. If you find a completely hollowed-out tree (oak, ash,
willow etc.), you will see how the heartwood merely holds things up,
and it's only the sapwood and cambium layer that transport nutrients.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Monday, October 5, 2020 at 10:27:17 AM UTC+1, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

so you think that the 'gall' I picture in photos #6 and #7 are a
bracket fungus? If so it is the only one.
Yes. That's normal.

FWIW I took a closer look at the 'gall' and it does seem to be a fungus; I broke off the top
and you can see that is is structured very vertically

To expand on my original statement - it looks like it was the sponginess
of the trunks/crown which led to the whole thing toppling down. And yes,
the majority of the leaves seemed fine; similar to those of the newer shoots
you can see coming from the crown.
Very typical of a heartwood-destroying fungus attack.
I suppose it is possible that despite the healthy-looking leaves, the whole
things could have been about to die. would it have been possible for the upper
branches and leaves to have obtained sustenance through the spongy crown,
do you think?
As Chris says. If you find a completely hollowed-out tree (oak, ash,
willow etc.), you will see how the heartwood merely holds things up,
and it's only the sapwood and cambium layer that transport nutrients.

At the crown there was pretty much no distinction between 'heart' and 'sapwood',
it was all spongy.

So the current idea is that it was some sort of fungal attack, starting at the roots,
with the bracket fungus being later evidence of this?

I guess this means that I should dig out the roots and be careful about what I plant in
its place. Is there anything else I can do to the soil? Should I be worried about
the nearby rose?

Thanks, J^n

In article ,
Jon Nicoll wrote:

So the current idea is that it was some sort of fungal attack, starting
at the roots,
with the bracket fungus being later evidence of this?

No. It was a bracket fungal infection from spores in the air getting
into a wound in the bark, the sponginess contains the body of the
fungus, and the bracket is just the fruiting body.

I guess this means that I should dig out the roots and be careful about
what I plant in
its place. Is there anything else I can do to the soil? Should I be
worried about
the nearby rose?

Not really. Spores are everywhere, and most plants have adapted to
that.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.