Maple tree fungus, is There a treatment,

Hi Sandy,

This may be Heart Rot but I don't know for sure. I just followed pictures that looked like your tree. If it's Heart Rot it's not good news. I'm hoping I'm wrong and someone will come along and say - "Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry about it".

Here's the article I read:

http://blog-yard-garden-news.extension.umn.edu/2009/11/fungi-sprouting-on-trees-have-scary.html

If you think that's what it is, I'd suggest calling in a professional to be sure and to figure out what to do with your tree.

Use a systemic fungus control

I get this type of shelf fungi somewhere in my wooded yard every year. I spray it with bleach water or bath / shower cleaner. Doesn't seem to be harmful to the trees.

Oyster mushrooms ..... delicious !!!!

Definitely don't eat them, as some bracket fungi (also known as shelf fungi) are poisonous! Treating trees with fungicide doesn't really solve the problem. You might kill the part you see but there's fungus growing on the inside, feeding off of a weakened and dying tree interior. A systemic fungicide won't work because it needs healthy live tree tissue to get to the site of fungal growth. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do for this problem, and the tree will eventually need to be cut down before it falls.

My neighbor had these and it created a beautiful water fall effect HOWEVER, one Sunday we had a micro burst and the huge tree came crashind down onto my driveway. The inside of this old beauty was totally rotten, so I would recommend that this tree be removed and save your self any possible property damage.

Treat the maple tree with a fungicidal or bacterial that correlates with the infection. Speak with a horticultural or nursery specialist for assistance in identifying the exact disease and required chemical treatment. Take a list of the identified symptoms to discuss during the assessment. Apply the chemical treatments on dry, cool days when no rain is expected and when temperatures are below 85 degrees F.

I agree, the bracket fungus is feeding off of dead plant tissue from inside the tree. I suspect it is going to die before long (a few years, maybe?) I would not put any chemical fungicides or herbicides on it as it will do no good - the tree will still die - and will do great harm to the microscopic-to-macroscopic organisms in your yard - like birds and creatures you don't know about but which contribute to the health of your yard.

So you're getting contradictory advice from us all, so you probably do want to contact your county extension office and see what they have to say. Good luck!

Hi Sandy. I hope you don't just LOVE that tree because, the news is not good. We have a lot of maple trees on our property and, (unfortunately) when you see the fungus growing on the tree, it is a sure sign that the tree is definitely declining. When we cut one (with fungus/mushrooms growing on it) for firewood, it is usually completely dead or close to it and parts of the inside heart/core of the tree is rotten and, in some cases, infested with large black ants.

If the tree is in an area where it can fall on a building or into the street, you might want to start getting estimates from a 'tree guy' for removal ('cause it isn't cheap). If it's in an area where you can cut it down yourself without damaging your property or a neighbors...fire up the ol' chainsaw. : )

Good Luck!

Thanks for all the above info! Had no idea that "it" was a fungus from a dying tree. Trees take many years to grow and is always sad when one has to come down. I have watched people trim their trees that guarantees rot and damage so many times it is shameful.

I've been there, too. When the maple tree in my yard was cut down because it was declining, the whole interior was eaten up by termites, ants, etc. The outside of the trunk only had a few little bits of fungus, but inside it was a wreck. You might want to look into this before winter, if the tree threatens anything.

Call your county agriculture. Ours let you send in pictures & tells you exactly what it is & what to use