I have a fungal-like disease that is eating through the trunk of my grandiflora. Copper sulfate hasn't helped. Help.
Shouldn't have grass right up to trunk. Has it been run into in the past? What about frost injury? The mold may be an opportunist, the original loss of bark actually being a wound that it is exploiting. Otherwise, magnolias are prone to Armillaria (as are most trees), this attacks the base, under the bark. Wound with bark falling off, fungal fans underneath appears after it has been at it for awhile. Gets onto tree by making dark, rootlike rhizomorphs that grow up out of soil. Pulling grass back--do this anyway--and finding these would be a definite indication that Armillaria was involved. Search "armillaria" for more information.
No frost here to speak of, no damage...perhaps armadillo bites. I pulled the grass way back but see no rhizomorphs or anything odd. I will add more pictures.
Grass + Tree + lawnmowers + Weedwackers = "Lawnmower disease". The shallow root zone of Magnolia's do not like to be disturbed. Closeup pictures of the offending disease will help greatly.
