I've been seeing a lot of conks growing between mature water oak root flares in Atlanta I believe to be ganoderma curtisii. "Diseases of Trees and Shrubs" contains photos that look similar, but not quite the same. Those photos were taken in New York. I'm wondering if decay-causing fungi produce different conk forms in various climatic regions. If anyone knows of a web site or better source that contains photos of fungi conk forms found in the southeastern U.S., I love to hear about them. This is a perennial conk that forms from fall to spring. What I'm seeing are single, large fruit bodie up to a couple of feet in width and length. They are grayish-white when young with a smooth, shiny and shiny surface. By spring they have turned reddish-brown with dried, cracked surfaces. Some of the fungal masses I've seen have turned hard and dark, and at first glance appear to be part of the flare roots. These, however, could be a different fungi. Atlanta trees are suffering from cumulative drought stress, which I suspect is partly responsible for the proliferation of the conks. Thanks for all the help.

Keep looking up, Tom

Reply to post by Tom Watson, on March 20, 2000 at 00:33:04:

Here's a few links that might help:

http://www.pacificcoast.net/~mycolog/fifthtoc.html

http://www.esf.edu/course/jworrall/

http://www.mykopat.slu.se/personal/ola/links.htm

Reply to post by Tom Watson, on March 20, 2000 at 00:33:04:

If you see a Ganoderma-like conk growing out of wood, you are almost certainly looking at decayed wood (roots, root crown or butt). I don't think it matters alot which species it is in this case.

Reply to post by Peter Torres, on March 20, 2000 at 00:33:04:

I've reviewed the two years of postings on diseases here, and seen Ganoderma, Polyporus and other fungi described. When these fungi infect an entire circumference, imo the best solution is removal.
The question is, when the infections are local, is sanitation recommendable? I've done it for years and seen many fungal and bacterial infections apparently die off for good.
But the weight of local opinion in my area--NC--, from pathologists, extension people, urban foresters, etc., is that treatment is unproved, or the potential harm outweighs the potential good, or it's outright snake oil pushed by greedy arborists.
Since no controlled research supports the efficacy of sanitation, they typically say Armillaria, Inonotus, Ganoderma etc. are so bad the pathogen will inevitably win, so you might as well cut the tree down down now.
Building a case for treatment by documenting photographic evidence is slow. Any other sanitizers out there that want to share evidence and help build a case for tree care? TIA, Guy Meilleur