Does My Tree Have Brittle Cinder Fungus?
What is brittle cinder fungus?
Brittle cinder is a fungus found on trees that causes breakage on otherwise healthy trees. This fungus will appear on the base as a grey crust-like body. The fungus will turn black as it ages. It originally enters the tree through open wounds, degrading the structure of the tree, making it brittle and vulnerable for breakage. Without an arborist inspection, this fungus will go on undetected until damage occurs. When the fungus is found at the base, the tree may snap off completely.
Some tree species are more vulnerable than others, including:
Horse Chesnut
Beech
Maple
Oak
How do I treat brittle cinder fungus?
Unfortunately, there are no treatments or pesticides that are effective with brittle cinder. Once your tree is infected with brittle cinder, complete tree removal is recommended to prevent further damage or spread. Making sure your trees are healthy and well maintained is the key to prevention. Having regular arborist inspections will ensure fungus and other disease issues do not go unnoticed.
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