Remove Mushrooms From Tree? | Tree Services of Omaha

Mushrooms are the most abundant living beings on planet Earth. While mushrooms are amazing organisms, if they show up on your tree, it’s a sign of a major problem. When mushrooms pop up on trees, it’s a sign that the fungus already has an established network inside the tree, eating it from the inside out.

Should I Remove Mushrooms From My Tree?

If you find mushrooms growing on your trees, leave them alone. Removing them causes spores to become airborne, spreading through the garden where they may infest other trees. In the best case, the fungi may only affect a portion of the trunk, allowing the arborist to remove infected sections to save the tree from a certain demise. If the tree is beyond saving, they’ll remove the tree to prevent the fungi from spreading to other trees nearby.

What Are Tree Mushrooms?

Mushrooms are the fruit of fungi. Modern botanical science views fungi as a separate branch of species, including molds and yeast. Most fungi spread by establishing a network of organic matter, mycelium. Eventually, the mycelium network starts to fruit and results in the growth of mushrooms.

Fungi are some of the oldest living beings on the planet, and they’re responsible for creating fertile soil on land. Fungi are essential to the health of forests, breaking down organic materials like wood, returning it to the Earth where it provides nutrients to the forest, and spurring other growth. If a tree is diseased or weak, fungi can move into the tree and colonize it, feeding off the nutrients provided by the tree.

Some of the more common types of mushrooms found on trees include the following.

Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum): These are woody shelf-like mushrooms often found on hardwood trees.
Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor): Named for their colorful, fan-shaped appearance, they are often seen on dead or dying hardwood trees.
Sulfur Shelf (Laetiporus sulphureus): Also known as chicken of the woods, they can be found on various types of hardwood trees.
Dryad’s Saddle (Polyporus squamosus): Large, saucer-shaped mushrooms that can grow on a variety of trees, particularly oaks.
Honey Mushroom (Armillaria ostoyae): Known for their aggressive nature, these mushrooms can infest various types of trees.
Silver Leaf Fungus (Chondrostereum purpureum): Often found on hardwood trees, they can cause a condition known as silver leaf disease.
Oyster Mushrooms: Edible mushrooms which are often found on hardwood trees.
Jelly Fungus: Known for their jelly-like appearance and often found on dead or decaying trees.

What Causes Mushrooms to Attack Trees?

There are several stressors causing fungi to attack trees and grow mushrooms:

Damage: If the tree has deep cuts or scrapes, it exposes it to fungal attack. This damage can occur from scratches, broken limbs, or ice damage.
Pruning: Pruning can also cause damage to the tree, resulting in fungal infestation and mushroom growth. For this reason, gardeners should prune fruit trees in the summer when there’s less chance of silver leaf fungus sporing.
Soil: Poor soil with minimal nutrition can lead to root damage. Fungi like Armillaria present in the soil will invade the roots and cause infection, leading to the tree’s death.

How a Mushroom Damages a Tree

After the fungi infest the tree, it spreads under the bark, releasing digestive enzymes that break down the organic material into food. The mycelial network cycles back to the surface of the tree and results in the fruiting of mushrooms on its bark. If left untreated, the fungi will spread to other trees in the yard, causing a mass infestation that’s challenging to remove. If the tree experiences severe infestation, it leads to limbs breaking off and falling in high winds. Falling branches may damage property or injure people walking underneath the tree.

Many trees become hollow shells of themselves long before the mushrooms ever start to fruit. If you suspect your trees are dealing with a fungal infection, take action immediately to save them where possible.

Mushrooms and Trees

It’s important to understand that mushrooms on trees are often a sign of an underlying issue, such as a weakened or dying tree. Addressing the root cause of the problem is crucial to the long-term health of your trees. Consulting with a professional arborist can help diagnose the issue and provide guidance on the best course of action to protect your trees. Don’t let these fascinating but potentially destructive fungi go unchecked.

Tree Services of Omaha

Tree Services of Omaha, Nebraska is a full-service tree care provider that offers a wide range of arborist services including but not limited to: Tree Removal Services, Tree Trimming, Tree Pruning, Tree and Shrub Shaping, Stump Removal, Stump Grinding, Arborist Consultations, Systemic Tree Injections.