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Unidentified Fungus on Laurel bark

brookwayjobrookwayjo Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hi, I was hoping someone could help me identify the strange growth at the base of a laurel bush in my garden. The leaves are starting to yellow and I don’t know what I should do. 
Thanks - BrookwayJo

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I don't think those are a fungus, but adventitious roots it is putting out in an attempt to survive.  I suspect it is doing that because the normal roots have died for some reason, perhaps Phytophthora.  See what others think.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Just noticed your sig  there Bob, never a truer word spoken,😀
    mine usually turn up in the compost bin several months later. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I agree ... it’s attempting to put out new roots ... it looks as if that plant is struggling ... the bark is splitting in several places. 

    Was it watered sufficiently during last summer’s drought?  If not, the dry winter and spring just gone may have been too much for it. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Lyn said:
    Just noticed your sig  there Bob, never a truer word spoken,😀
    mine usually turn up in the compost bin several months later. 
    Same here Lyn, I commonly find one at the bottom of a bucket full of weeds, but that may sit around for a few weeks until it gets emptied.  It's by far the tool I use most and although I have several almost identical ones, only my favourite 'works properly', if you know what I mean!   ;)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I do know, my favourite is old and has red masking tape round the handle so I can easily spot it, do I? No. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I’ve just noticed ash seedlings near the laurel ... if there’s a mature ash or two nearby they’ll have sucked all ghe moisture out of the ground. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • brookwayjobrookwayjo Posts: 4
    Wow great knowledge- thank you Lyn and Bob.  It does look like the pods are reaching into the soil. I think that the bush may be suffering from lack of water as there are several large trees surrounding it. Do you think it can recover if I water it?
  • brookwayjobrookwayjo Posts: 4
    ..and thankyou to Dovefromabove
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    That's about all you can try really, brookwayjo.   Building a raised bed around it so those new roots can enter soil may help, but not very confident that would save it.  Give the ground a really good soak every couple of days and see if it picks up after a few weeks.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • brookwayjobrookwayjo Posts: 4
    Thanks Bob - it explains why I have not been able to identify the fungus despite much research. All the best
    Brookwayjo
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