will this fungi threaten a giant eucalyptus? It is a very masive and proud eucalyptus that I enjoy looking at whenever I go to this park but recently I notice there is a fungus that spawns mushrooms from nearly all edges of the soil at the base of the trunk. I'm fairly worried that this little fungus will meet the demise of the giant eucalyptus.. Anything I can do to kill the fungus off without telling the county parks and stuff? they basically let everything go to rot here, even the old rental buildings that used to have nice picnic areas are rotting away, it was a nice place down by the water with a deck. now its a rotting shed... I'm not about to let that happen to the tree.
to answer the question in a word, no. I would suggest that the fungus is an indicator of other issues rather than the cause of the tree demise. I have posted a link to this question on a professional arborist website for help in identifying the conk/fungus. Hopefully we get some takers. For further info can youpost any pictures of the base area that has growths and also your location geographically.
re: indicator. I understand about the fungi being an indicator. it's definately not a conk fungi. It's an actual cap mushroom You can see it's imature phase in the background of the picture in my first post, along with the slightly distorted mature mushroom, it was growing up into some sluffed euc bark so it looks funny, i think it's a type of agaric, called Jack-0-Lantern. Some of them glow in the dark. Which is what I've been trying to photograph in action, but it's sad to see the fungus growing from the base of this impressive tree.. Maybe it's already a goner? west coast california.
Decay in a tree that size in an urban environment is not uncomon. Fruiting bodies in the basal area should always be a sign of concern. In cases like this I alwasy recomend that a consulting arborist be brought in to do a forhire risk assesment to see if it should come down in the near future, or can be put on a sheduled reevaluation program. A consulting arborist will issue an opinion with no interest in future work, such as removals. With a tree servuce there is allway the apearance of conflict of interest. Also many tree companies are risk averse in rendering opinions with even moderatly high risk of failure. You can find an RCA at this site. I'm aquainted with Scott Baker up in WA, he might be willing to recomend some people to you.
Got that right. Many companies recommend removal because it's the easiest money the know how to make. But jps, I agree a diagnostic consult is needed, but it sounds like this tree is on public prop., so who's gonna pay for a consult? It doesn't look like armillaria to me--they usually have a rounder cap and darker color like honey. Laetiporus sulphureus is a woodrotter; could it be that? Post more pics ok? Giants can live with little fungi for decades--or not. Many variables to consider, but a sure ID of the bugger comes first.
just FYI John Paul Sanborn is one of the administrators/moderators of Arboristsite.com with well over 6300 posts, he is well respected for his opinions, knowledge and his tree work.
The mushroom looks like Orange Clitocybe to me Clitocybe aurantiaca. Described as a flat cap with an inturned margin sometimes becoming funnel shaped with age. The margin is waxy and curved down or elevated. The surface is smooth to velvety and buff to bright orange in colour (Canadian spelling eh!). I am not sure of the species because I do not have a California reference but I did consult the , "Diseases of Forest and Shade Trees of the United Sates" USDA, and it does state Clitocybe tabescens as a noted root pathogen of Eucalyptus. The clincher for me was this C. tabescens resembles Armillaria sp in its' attack, but lacks the flat, black fanshaped rhizomorphs. Look under the bark at the root collar for non-fanshaped, pitted felts. The bad news is this reference stated the Eucalyptus trees were killed by this fungus but did not say what species of Eucalyptus. Not great news but may be useful.
from those discriptions, what I observed/photographed. I have to agree, it must be a form of root disease, with the fruiting clitocybe as the imediate indicator. "what I originaly thought when I saw the mushrooms for the first time" I've looked through several pages discribing the mushroom, but nothing indicating a treatment.
