QUESTION:
This thing has appeared on our gum tree. What is it, and is it harmless or dangerous?
ANSWER:
It's a bracket fungus. They're common on older or stressed trees, particularly in streets and parks.Your gumtree has likely experienced prolonged stress at some point – perhaps drought,water logging or root damage which has allowed the fungus to establish. Most of the fungus lives hidden inside the tree,where it slowly breaks down the wood. The bracket you can see is simply its fruiting body, releasing millions of spores from the tiny pores underneath. While improving the tree's growing conditions may help slow its decline, the fungus can't becured.Unfortunately, the presence of a bracket fungus often indicates significant internal decay, so have the tree assessed by an arborist, as it may eventually need to be removed if it becomes a safety risk.
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