Honey Fungus

Question 1

what tree and shrub species can this disease affect/kill?

Answer 1

deciduous and coniferous

Question 2

what soil type is Honey fungus worse in?

Answer 2

alkaline

Question 3

where can the disease start from?

Answer 3

buried debris

old stumps and roots of dead or felled trees

Question 4

once a tree is infected with Honey fungus, where can the fungus spread?

Answer 4

the mycelium of the fungus spreads rapidly over distances between trees or along the line of a hedge - infecting every tree in a row

Question 5

name some symptoms of Honey fungus

Answer 5

premature leaf fall
wilting and discoloration of leaves
failure to leaf up in spring
resin exuding from cracks around base of trunk

there may be a sheet of cream coloured mycelium below the bark with a mushroom smell around lower parts

black rhizomorphs can be seen - very tough (almost elastic when pulled)
honey coloured toadstools around base in autumn

Question 6

describe how rhizomorphs spread

Answer 6

they grow through the soil and fasten onto living or dead plant material.
also known as ‘bootlace fungi’