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Fungi growth on my Broom

cherylrowland23ischerylrowland23is Posts: 4
in The potting shed
Have recently spotted fungi growing on my Cytisus Battandieri.  Brown in colour and like an upside down cup/saucer /mushroom.

Do I need to remove it and if so how?
Is it harmful to the tree?
How do I prevent it happening again?

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Can you upload a photo?
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • cherylrowland23ischerylrowland23is Posts: 4

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited July 2020
    Those are jelly/cup fungi and are the fruiting bodies of fungi which only grow on already dead wood, so I suspect the heart wood of that old section has rotted inside.  I can see exposed wood, probably from a branch tearing off in the past and that'll be how the fungus gained entry.  They don't respond well to hard pruning so I don't think cutting out that section will really help.  However, it will probably live for years even with the fungus present, until the heart wood eventually becomes too weak to support the leaves and branches above, at which point a windy day will break parts off.  THere are no treatments available and removing them won't help in any way.
    In other words, the best course of action is probably to just leave it alone. :)
    edit: Do cut out any and all obviously dead branches though.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • cherylrowland23ischerylrowland23is Posts: 4
    Many thanks for you invaluable time and effort in resolving this for me. It is much appreciated!
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