Author Topic: Fungus killing mulberry?  (Read 1764 times)

Triloba Tracker

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Fungus killing mulberry?
« on: May 06, 2020, 07:20:25 PM »
I have a wild mulberry on my property.
Last year I removed a decent sized rock that it was growing out from under. This kind of exposed some roots , so I covered the spot with very old compost.

Several weeks later all the leaves suddenly drooped at once, and later fell off.
I noticed at that time a white fungal growth (?) at the base of the tree and roots. I thought this could be the culprit. I tried a half hearted drench treatment and the white disappeared.

Fast forward to this year, late winter.
It appeared to me the buds on the tree were swelling. It was premature, but I cut the tree back severely because at the time I wanted to create low branching to try to force it into a bush form.

Now here we are and the “stump” has no signs of life EXCEPT a bark scratch reveals bright green.
However, I just noticed the white stuff is back.

Any ideas what is going on??



Triloba Tracker

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Re: Fungus killing mulberry?
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2020, 09:22:49 AM »
I’ll say that normally if I saw mycelium or something like that we meet normal circumstances I would assume it is harmless. I only made the connection since the tree dramatically lost its leaves. Might be unrelated.

SeaWalnut

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Re: Fungus killing mulberry?
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2020, 06:35:08 PM »
This is verry verry bad .I suspect its Armillaria Mellea ir otther Armillaria specie of fungus.
Its possible that you could bring it from the wood chips and it  spread.Can kill whole forests and like almost any tree.
It cant be stopped by anything.

Do you have Honey mushrooms in your area? Or otther Armillaria species?

Who told you all fungus and mushrooms are good to have ,its wrong.Somme like Armillaria are parasites that kill the trees to feed on the wood after.

Look into it,google Armillaria Mellea.See if people eat them in your area.Its basically worst pest you can have in your orchard.Forget the butterfly caterpillars,aphids and all the otther pests because this is on another level.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2020, 06:51:23 PM by SeaWalnut »

Triloba Tracker

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Re: Fungus killing mulberry?
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2020, 06:55:15 PM »
Thanks SW, I will research it.

No I didn’t mean to say all fungus is good. Just that I never assume all fungus is BAD

Presumption of innocence I guess you could say LOL

SeaWalnut

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Re: Fungus killing mulberry?
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2020, 07:05:11 PM »
Armillaria has these black root like structures also ,asside from the white mycelium and they are called rizomorphs.
But fresh,newly developed fungi dont need these rizomorphs and its not necesarely to have them.

Most Armillaria are bioluminiscent slightly,the micelium and the rizomorphs.
These are hints in identifying them but im convinced its Armillaria Mellea,my biggest nightmare for any orchard or forest and the reason why i would never bring wood chips in my garden from otther places because it can spread from the wood chips.


Im convinced its Armillaria Mellea because i have experience with it.I collect and eat these mushrooms from the forest near my home.
https://www.treerot.com/fungi/armillaria-mellea/
« Last Edit: May 07, 2020, 07:21:16 PM by SeaWalnut »

SeaWalnut

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Re: Fungus killing mulberry?
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2020, 07:29:52 PM »
I just read a study and aparently Asimina Triloba its resistant to Armillaria Mellea.Doesnt mean it can fall victim to it but if the trees are healty can have a chance of surviving.

NateTheGreat

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Re: Fungus killing mulberry?
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2020, 09:25:28 PM »
It looks like there's a couple of buds at least. If it were me I'd excavate around the trunk as much as I could without exposing many roots, to keep the area around it as dry as possible, and cut away any bad wood. It looks like there may be some to the left of the lower bud.




Triloba Tracker

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Re: Fungus killing mulberry?
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2020, 03:10:05 PM »
update - this guy bit the dust.

never budded out. I kinda wiggled it the other day and it broke off right into my hand - roots totally rotten.

SeaWalnut

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Re: Fungus killing mulberry?
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2020, 03:14:39 PM »
What about the pawpaw that had slightly swollen trunk?
Did it recover?

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Re: Fungus killing mulberry?
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2020, 05:03:53 PM »
What about the pawpaw that had slightly swollen trunk?
Did it recover?

It's still just kind of sitting there, not getting particularly worse or better.