Thank you to all who have responded to my queries. There are a few fungi at the bottom of our willow which resemble those in the first photo, and where some of the bark has peeled away there is a white patch underneath with grey striped markings, so that does appear to be honey fungus. The crops of fungi growing in crevices further up the tree definitely look like the ones in the lower picture ; really quite handsome in their way. I wish I had the know-how to transfer the photos I've taken on to here; I know how to send them as attachments with an Email, but anything more ambitious beats me I'm afraid. Sorry. What's the next step to take? Should we be thinking of having the willow removed, and is there anything we can use to treat the soil and inhibit the spread of this awful disease? This tree started off as a twig on my nature table at school, when I was teaching some 51 years ago. At 20 feet tall it has been the main feature of the garden for a long time now, but if it needs to go then so be it.
Oh bad luck, Ruth. Honey fungus is a baddie. BUT - don't despair. We moved to our house 13 years ago, and soon found that our (big) garden is riddled with honey fungus. i panicked! My first reaction was to do everything I could. There was a product on the market then called Armillatox which is partially effective as a protection for trees - they are not allowed to market it for that use now, but the product still exists as a surface cleaner. I think it had some limited effect.
But after a year or two I realised that the fungus was only killing old and weak plants (and very slowly). And Armillatox stinks. So now I'm more laid back about it. i know that three more trees are infected and will, therefore, die....but probably not for two or three years. So I'm spending that time planning what I'll put in their places. I've learned that some plants are really susceptible - for example viburnum - so have adapted my planting plans. The RHS website gives a list of plants that are more resistant than others.
So, strictly if you want to try to halt the spread of the disease you show remove any infected plants, dig out all of their stumps and root systems. You could even line any new planting holes with butyl rubber to combat infection, and fill with clean compost. But that seems like quite a lot of work to me (I'm a lazy gardener I guess!). So personally I'd be inclined to continue to enjoy your much-loved willow tree while it finishes its life, and remove it only when it gets ugly. In the meantime you could take some cuttings from it to keep it's history alive.
I'm sure others would give different (and probably better!) advice, but I'm just sharing my own experience....
PS I was told that honey fungus is bigger problem in gardens than it is in natural woodland because woodlands have a wider variety of other fungii to compete with it. So when you see other types of toadstool / mushroom appearing, welcome them! They are probably fighting your honey fungus for you!
Thank you Rosie31. You've lifted my spirits. We have a new Bird Box to put up and don't know where it would go, other than in the willow. In 2012 and 2013 Great Tits nested there and we had great fun watching all the goings in and out. Last spring, however, there was a lot of prospecting, but no birds actually nested there. I'm now wondering if the birds might have detected something unpleasant going on within the tree and opted to nest elsewhere. Does anyone out there think this is likely? Anyway, I'll put up the new box and see what happens this spring.
Posts
Thank you to all who have responded to my queries. There are a few fungi at the bottom of our willow which resemble those in the first photo, and where some of the bark has peeled away there is a white patch underneath with grey striped markings, so that does appear to be honey fungus. The crops of fungi growing in crevices further up the tree definitely look like the ones in the lower picture ; really quite handsome in their way. I wish I had the know-how to transfer the photos I've taken on to here; I know how to send them as attachments with an Email, but anything more ambitious beats me I'm afraid. Sorry. What's the next step to take? Should we be thinking of having the willow removed, and is there anything we can use to treat the soil and inhibit the spread of this awful disease? This tree started off as a twig on my nature table at school, when I was teaching some 51 years ago. At 20 feet tall it has been the main feature of the garden for a long time now, but if it needs to go then so be it.
Oh bad luck, Ruth. Honey fungus is a baddie. BUT - don't despair. We moved to our house 13 years ago, and soon found that our (big) garden is riddled with honey fungus. i panicked! My first reaction was to do everything I could. There was a product on the market then called Armillatox which is partially effective as a protection for trees - they are not allowed to market it for that use now, but the product still exists as a surface cleaner. I think it had some limited effect.
But after a year or two I realised that the fungus was only killing old and weak plants (and very slowly). And Armillatox stinks. So now I'm more laid back about it. i know that three more trees are infected and will, therefore, die....but probably not for two or three years. So I'm spending that time planning what I'll put in their places. I've learned that some plants are really susceptible - for example viburnum - so have adapted my planting plans. The RHS website gives a list of plants that are more resistant than others.
So, strictly if you want to try to halt the spread of the disease you show remove any infected plants, dig out all of their stumps and root systems. You could even line any new planting holes with butyl rubber to combat infection, and fill with clean compost. But that seems like quite a lot of work to me (I'm a lazy gardener I guess!). So personally I'd be inclined to continue to enjoy your much-loved willow tree while it finishes its life, and remove it only when it gets ugly. In the meantime you could take some cuttings from it to keep it's history alive.
I'm sure others would give different (and probably better!) advice, but I'm just sharing my own experience....
Let us know how you get on.
PS I was told that honey fungus is bigger problem in gardens than it is in natural woodland because woodlands have a wider variety of other fungii to compete with it. So when you see other types of toadstool / mushroom appearing, welcome them! They are probably fighting your honey fungus for you!
Thank you Rosie31. You've lifted my spirits. We have a new Bird Box to put up and don't know where it would go, other than in the willow. In 2012 and 2013 Great Tits nested there and we had great fun watching all the goings in and out. Last spring, however, there was a lot of prospecting, but no birds actually nested there. I'm now wondering if the birds might have detected something unpleasant going on within the tree and opted to nest elsewhere. Does anyone out there think this is likely? Anyway, I'll put up the new box and see what happens this spring.