Re: fungus amongus

Well, Kitty, they are a wood rot type fungus, but just removing the
fingers only removes the fruiting bodies - the  mycelium are already
embedded in whatever it is they're feeding on.  I would imagine, in
your case, it's that cherry if it has visible decay.  If you can see
decay in wood, be assured there's more that you can't see.  Fungus
spore are everywhere - all around, except maybe in 'clean rooms'.  If
you destroy the fruiting bodies before they release spore, you're
reducing the amount out there by some minute fraction:-).  

We think of fungi as harming something, but really, they're just an
indication that there's already some reason for them to be there. 
One of the functions of the wood rot fungi is to clean up dead wood -
and they do this over time.

If it were my tree, I'd keep an eye on it; sounds like it may have to
come down one of these days if it has decay at the base that you can
see.  Maybe not today nor tomorrow but one of these days, before it
falls down.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
-----------------------------------------------
Current Article: Wild, Wonderful Aroids Part 5 - Pinellia
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
------------------------------------------------
Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
------------------------------------------------
All Suite101.com garden topics :
http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

----------
> From: Kitty <kmrsy@comcast.net>
> Marge, thanks for the info.  My fingers look a bit different, no
knuckles,
> but the page did say it took many forms.  I checked other sites
too.  Most
> indicate they are found:
> "Dead man's fingers grow on dead beech and occasionally birch,
often on
> stumps or on fallen trunks."  Mine are at the base of my Yoshino
Cherry
> Tree, which does have some decay at the base because it was planted
too
> deeply.  What I could not ascertain from the various pages I
checked was
> whether the fungus does any damage to the host.  Should it be
removed?

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index