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Is this honey fungus?

omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96
in Problem solving
I was pruning my willow tree yesterday when I noticed these mushrooms at the bottom of the trunk. I am worried it is the dreaded honey fungus? If so, what should I do? I’m not too bothered about the tree itself as it was one that just appeared on its own, but I don’t want the rest of my plants being infected 😢

any advice would be appreciated! Thanks
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  • omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96

  • omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96
    @pansyface sorry i forgot on the original post but did add some after in a comment, have they not come through? 
  • omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96
    @pansyface yes i thought so too, but didn’t know if it’s just gone brown because it’s old? And yes I know ☹️ But at least if it’s not honey fungus then it only means one loss rather than potentially more! 
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 635
    My understanding is that different honey fungi feed on different plant species, so the fact that you might have some on the willow is unlikely to mean that it will attack lots of other plants...
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    I'm not sure how selective the different species are, @StephenSouthwest - I think there's more research going on.  The OP might find this link useful:
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/honey-fungus
    It's not always easy to tell if the fungi you're looking at are honey fungus or not.  If you're a member of the RHS you can send them a photo and ask for their scientists' opinion...
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Your specimens are a bit too old to be certain.  But probably not honey fungus.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    I did read an article in The Garden way back that said that the different species/varieties behaved more or less aggressively.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I am no expert, but I believe you have to look at the gills to help diagnose hf. They are always pale. Combined with characteristic strings of mycelia, under the bark, will usually help to identify.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96
    @StephenSouthwest hopefully that’ll be the case!

    @Liriodendron unfortunately I’m not a member of the RHS anymore :( 

    @bédé can I ask what makes you think it’s not honey fungus? Hopefully, if indeed it is honey fungus, it’ll be one of the less aggressive types

    @punkdoc ok thanks I will go and have a closer inspection and see if I can find any other characteristics 

    Also, should I take the tree out anyway? As pansyface said mushrooms growing on a tree usually mean they’re dying anyway, so should I just get it removed, and then replace it with another tree? 

    Thanks for all the help!
  • omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96

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