Hi all Please help - unidentified fungi on fruit tree

[mbga9pgf]

Hi all, first thread on here, so please be gentle

Anyways, we (my wife and I) have just managed to buy our dream home. Its our first home, and hopefully our last. We are lucky enough to enjoy in the region of 1 acre of paddock, a small stream and a pretty substantial pond.

The garden has a fair few plants in it, however, we have a number of issues I am hoping peeps could help me with. I THINK we have 2 plum trees in our garden (actually 3, but one has died and is leafless unfortunately). The dead one is the one I have issue with. What is this monstrosity growing on the bark of the dead fruit tree?





you can see some of the growth further up the tree in the second image if you look closely. Now, with it being dead, I wouldnt be too concerned, however, I have noticed the same growth up a larger, and more beautiful tree close by. The trees dont have a particularly great yield by the looks of it, but this could be down to poor watering and or feeding I suppose...

Is there anything that can be done to save them, or is going to be a case of "off with her head!"?

THe other problem is with ants. I have noticed a fair few trees with insect damage around the place, particularly to the bark, with unidentified critters boring away into the trunk of the fruit trees. Lots of ants running up and down the bark too is a bit of a bummer. We have a few older hawthorns that have died, and they have MAHOOSIVE ant holes in them, which could have been caused after the hawthorn dying.

Any advice?

Thanks all, hope to provide as much help in the future as I receive early on!

[FB.]

The dead tree ought to be removed as soon as possible, otherwise it will be a reservoir for various fungal rots, which the wind and rain will spread to the other trees.

My gut feeling is that you have a collection of terminally sick trees that are either dying of neglect, or are simply too old and diseased to be of much use.
I fear that they may be beyond the point where you can save them, although they may remain alive for several or more years.
It might be possible to remove the diseased part from the living tree and tidy it up.

Can you do a few full-view pictures each tree, plus point out where the fungus is located in case it isn't easy to tell from pictures. An overall view will help to determine the general condition of the tree and how much work might be required to salvage it.

[mbga9pgf]

The dead tree ought to be removed as soon as possible, otherwise it will be a reservoir for various fungal rots, which the wind and rain will spread to the other trees.

My gut feeling is that you have a collection of terminally sick trees that are either dying of neglect, or are simply too old and diseased to be of much use.
I fear that they may be beyond the point where you can save them, although they may remain alive for several or more years.
It might be possible to remove the diseased part from the living tree and tidy it up.

Can you do a few full-view pictures each tree, plus point out where the fungus is located in case it isn't easy to tell from pictures. An overall view will help to determine the general condition of the tree and how much work might be required to salvage it.

Will do, although not at the pad for anotherweek... will post some more pics when I get there. We are hoping to establish a small orchard in the paddock,as weare planning to be at the property for years.... Looking forward to learning much on here. Notice the royal horticultural society is pretty fab too!

[newbieveggie]

I wouldn't stake my life on it but it looks like honey fungus to me. We had it on a very old, very big cherry tree and had to have it removed. Personally I would get a tree surgeon in to double check tho.

[PAULW]

Not honey fungus, its some sort of bracket fungi feeding on the dead wood.