Mushrooms at the Base of Trees: When to Worry

A cluster of mushrooms popping up around a tree may have an air of magical, pop culture whimsy, conjuring images of gnomes, “Alice in Wonderland,” or Super Mario himself.

Instead of something fantastical, mushrooms can signal a hidden, real-world issue. While these fungi may be harmless, mushrooms attached to the tree or its roots are telling a story with a not-so-happy ending: internal decay.

Shroom Story: Harmless vs. Harmful

Not every mushroom situation near a tree can prove to be harmful. If you spot fungi growing in the grass or pine straw a few feet from a tree, the mushrooms are most likely breaking down dead organic matter such as buried roots or old mulch. In this case, the mushrooms are, in general, harmless to a living tree.

However, if you see mushrooms or conks directly attached to the trunk, buttress roots, or root flare of a tree, it means internal decay is already happening and has been for quite a while. According to the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, the tree is in the advanced stages of decay and infection, and tree failure is a real possibility. 

Red Flag Fungi to Keep on Your Radar

Some wood-decay fungi have a reputation for causing serious destruction to living trees. The following are three that fit that bill and are among the most frequently found in Georgia and the Southeast. While an infected tree may look perfectly healthy from the outside, each of these types of fungi has the potential to create hazardous conditions such as out-of-the-blue tree failure or blow-over during extreme weather.

  • Armillaria: TCI Magazine calls this root rot worthy of note for several reasons. First, it kills tissue, which can stop the transportation of nutrients and water. Other reasons armillaria is especially challenging include the fact that its mushrooms can be difficult to identify, and it spreads rapidly underground through root contact and root-like strands called rhizomorphs.
  • Ganoderma: According to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, some species of Ganoderma are especially concerning because they break down essential elements that make up the primary structural components of wood. They can go after the tree’s lower trunk, root flare, and structural roots, resulting in the hollowing out of its internal support system. 
  • Weeping Conk: Another concerning fungus, according to TCI Magazine, weeping conk causes white rot in the heartwood of lower trunks and major roots, and it is difficult to judge the full breadth of internal decay without excavating the root system. Its appearance can change, from cream-colored to crusty, blackened, or blob-like. This makes it easy to overlook entirely or, at the very least, misidentify. 

Let Premier Tree Solutions Identify Funky Fungi

Have you seen mushrooms around your tree? Don’t wait for the next storm to put your tree’s stability to the test.

Contact Premier Tree Solutions for a root collar and tree health inspection. Call 404-252-6448 or schedule a complimentary assessment online.

Q&A Recap

Are mushrooms around the base of a tree always bad?

No, mushrooms growing in the surrounding lawn or pine straw a few feet away are generally harmless fungi breaking down buried organic matter. However, mushrooms or shelf-like conks growing directly on a tree’s trunk, flare, or roots indicate internal wood decay and potential structural instability.

Which mushroom species indicate severe tree decay in Georgia?

Three of the more common wood-decay fungi found in Georgia and the Southeast are Armillaria, Ganoderma, and Weeping Conk. While an infected tree may look fine on the outside, each of these types of fungi has the potential to create hazardous conditions such as out-of-the-blue tree failure or blow-over during extreme weather.

What should I do if I find mushrooms attached to my tree?

If mushrooms or conks are growing directly on your tree’s bark or root collar, schedule a professional tree health and root collar inspection immediately to evaluate the extent of internal decay and prevent unexpected tree failure.

Planning Your Fall Planting: Why September is the Best Time to Choose Your New Trees

Come spring, bursts of blooming flora arrive as trees begin leafing out due to warmer weather. That sounds like the logical time to plant a tree in metro Atlanta, right? Well, not in all cases.

Depending on the tree species, Premier Tree Solutions suggests opting for autumn instead, which makes September the right month to start researching, selecting, and sourcing containerized stock or reserving field-grown trees.

Let’s dig into the details with three of the main reasons we believe you should fall for fall when it comes to tree transplanting:

Warm Soil Plus Cool Air Equals Maximum Root Growth

Summer may be slipping away, but the soil in your yard hangs onto seasonal warmth well into the fall. The result is an ideal biological environment. Warm soil helps encourage rapid root growth, while cool air tells the tree to stop growing top-side branches and leaves. Instead of the tree feeding its new foliage, it uses its stored energy and nutrients to establish a deep and sturdy underground root system. According to the University of Georgia Extension, a properly sited and planted tree in the fall will outperform a spring-planted tree. Planting a tree in the fall allows its roots a solid head start to establish themselves before those scorching summer temperatures draw moisture from the tree and stress it out.

Reduced Moisture Stress and Transplant Shock

When you transplant a tree in the spring, it can struggle with heavy transpiration, leaving it thirsty. Transpiration is the process where hot air causes water to evaporate from leaves quicker than unestablished roots can draw it up from the dirt. Metro Atlanta’s late-summer dry spells only make matters worse. A field report from the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences says fall’s cooler temps can lessen moisture loss, provided watering is adjusted for slower soil evaporation, allowing a tree to acclimate long before a heat wave ignites.

Prime Nursery Selection and Proper Site Preparation

Choosing a tree in September gets you ahead of the game. Once you determine the right species, you can be ready to shop as soon as the primary stock begins arriving at nurseries. This will likely give you access to a wider selection of nursery inventory before it thins out later in the season. Additionally, it provides plenty of time to properly prepare your site. The Clemson University Extension advises correct root ball preparation, wide digging width, and proper mulching depth for long-term tree health. If you get the ball rolling in September, there is room to breathe for tasks such as running local soil tests, checking for overhead power lines, and readying Georgia clay.

Let Premier Tree Solutions Guide Your Fall Tree Planting

Choosing the right species of tree for metro Atlanta’s soils and urban canopy space requires specialized care.

Contact Premier Tree Solutions for selection guidance and professional fall planting services. Call 404-252-6448 or schedule a complimentary assessment online.

Q&A Recap

Why is September the best time to start planning fall tree planting in metro Atlanta?

The fall offers warm soil paired with cooling air temperatures. This combination stops top-side branch and leaf growth, allowing the tree to channel its energy into establishing a strong, deep root system before winter.

Why is fall planting better for a tree’s root system than spring planting?

Fall planting gives roots a head start to establish without competing against new foliage growth. Fall-planted trees develop sturdy roots before the heat of summer causes drought stress.

How does planting in autumn reduce transplant shock and water stress?

Cooler autumn temperatures lower the rate of transpiration, which is the process where hot air evaporates water from leaves faster than roots can absorb it. Reduced transpiration protects young trees from severe moisture loss and heat-related transplant shock.

What are the main preparation advantages of sourcing trees in September?

Planning early in autumn provides several advantages: a better nursery selection and enough time to prepare the site and follow correct planting practices.

Who provides expert fall tree selection and planting services in metro Atlanta?

Premier Tree Solutions offers professional guidance, site assessments, and tree planting services tailored to metro Atlanta’s local canopy and soil conditions.

The Facts About Bacterial Leaf Scorch

At first glance, browning tree leaves during warmer months might seem to be a symptom of drought stress. Look closer, because it could be something much worse: bacterial leaf scorch (BLS).

An incurable vascular disease, BLS is chronic, progressive and can be fatal to trees. In Georgia, BLS is most frequently found in red oak trees, but can infect almost all native oak varieties, as well as other trees including pecan, sycamore, red maple, and others.

The following are four of the key facts to keep in mind regarding BLS.

Fact 1: It’s Caused by a Microscopic Plumbing Blockage

According to the Penn State Extension, BLS is caused by a specific bacterium that is spread by certain insects, who use their piercing mouths to feed on trees. If roots of a diseased tree naturally fuse or graft with those of a neighboring tree, BLS can also spread underground.

Once inside the tree’s water-conducting tissue, the bacterium multiplies through the vascular system. The result is something akin to a clogged sink. The bacterium blocks the pathways that transport water from the tree’s roots to its leaves.

Fact 2: Symptoms Peak in Late Summer and Progress Annually

While tree leaves may look perfectly fine once spring has sprung, things can go south by summer. Symptoms typically materialize late July through September. Keep an eye out for scorched leaves, which can appear yellowed or browned, a telltale sign of BLS. The University of Maryland Extension explains that depending on the species, scorched leaves sometimes have a yellow halo around them. Premature leaf drop can be another signal of BLS. Symptoms first appear on lower branches and on the older interior leaves of the tree and will occur annually, eventually finding their way through the top of the tree.

Fact 3: BLS is Incurable but Manageable

While BLS remains incurable, the disease spreads slowly and proper management can help extend the life of the tree. The Virginia Cooperative Extension reminds us that injecting antibiotics in trees with BLS can delay the progression of disease. However, this approach can be costly and compromise the tree, making it susceptible to wood decay fungi. Minimizing stress factors and keeping a BLS-infected tree as healthy as possible allows it the opportunity to better withstand the progressive effects of the disease. Be sure to water the ill tree during hot and dry weather spells and during periods of drought. Additionally, proper mulching can assist a tree in avoiding water stress.

Fact 4: Professional Guidance is Essential

Are you unable to decide if a tree is diseased or simply thirsty? It’s best not to guess. Reach for a professional to diagnose your tree and guide you through the appropriate solution.

Premier Tree Solutions is an expert in assessing BLS. Call 404-252-6448 or schedule a complimentary assessment online.

Q&A Recap

What Is Bacterial Leaf Scorch (BLS)?

BLS is a chronic, fatal plant disease caused by a certain bacterium that multiplies inside a tree’s water-conducting tissue, creating blockages that prevent water from reaching the leaves.

What Are the Main Symptoms of BLS?

The most common signs include leaf yellowing or browning (often separated from green tissue by a yellow halo), premature leaf drop, and dieback that begins on lower, older branches in late summer (July through September) and recurs annually.

Can BLS Be Cured?

No, BLS is incurable. However, you can manage the disease and extend the tree’s lifespan by reducing environmental stress through supplemental watering during hot weather or drought and proper mulching.

How Does BLS Spread Between Trees?

BLS is spread above ground by sap-feeding insects with piercing mouthparts and underground through natural root fusion or grafts between neighboring trees.

 

Managing Invasive Kudzu and Chinese Tallow

Invasive flora can be like a mixed martial artist with an overwhelming move. If it gets a prominent grasp on your property, your vegetation might just tap out in submission.

Both kudzu and Chinese tallow, two common culprits, have the ability to smother native trees and block sunlight. With their deep root systems and lightning fast growth rates, they easily deflect knee-jerk tactics such as simple mowing or surface cutting.

Premier Tree Solutions has a handful of tips to help keep these opponents at bay.

Ways to Combat Kudzu

Kudzu may be the Southeast’s reigning champ in the invasive plant category. This climbing vine is known to cover landscapes and just about anything in its path, and it can grow as much as one foot per day. Simply pruning or trimming kudzu won’t provide a long-term solution. Repeated cutting and mowing can work, but it can take years and require weekly maintenance each summer.

To stop new kudzu growth, the Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities Extension advises cutting just below the bulbous root crown, which stores energy and can be found right beneath the surface of the soil. This works well, because kudzu is unable to regrow below the root crown and doesn’t sprout from lateral roots.

Larger areas can call for mechanical removal and tactical herbicide application. The UGA Extension (Towns/Union County) suggests chemical control. Chemical products with active ingredients glyphosate or triclopyr can control kudzu, either as a spray or after cutting back the vines. For the latter, cut the plant two inches above the ground and then soak the remaining base of the vines with the herbicide. Carefully read the herbicide instructions before using.

Wrestling with Chinese Tallow

A Chinese tallow may look like just a small to medium-sized ornamental tree, but it can lay the smack down with its aggressive growth. Similar to the case with kudzu, eradicating Chinese tallow can be tricky. The Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities Extension explains that while practices such as physical removal and mowing are common, they can worsen the problem. It can trigger stump and lateral root sprouting, which can result in dense thickets. If a Chinese tallow isn’t thoroughly removed, its leftover roots will eventually grow more trees.

The Clemson Cooperative Extension credits chemical management as a reliable way to control Chinese tallow. Herbicides such as triclopyr, glyphosate, and imazapyr work well. They can be used in tandem with methods such as cutting down the tree and treating the stump; cutting a wedge in the tree and treating that spot; or spraying herbicide directly on the leaves.

Let Premier Tree Solutions Be Your Muscle

When you step into the figurative ring and take on invasive trees and vines, timing, persistence, and the combination punch of chemical and mechanical tactics are everything. However, you can skip the DIY method entirely and utilize an expert like Premier Tree Solutions to do the job.

Premier Tree Solutions can help you take care of any kudzu or Chinese tallow-related problems. Call 404-252-6448 or schedule a complimentary assessment online.

Q&A Recap

What Is the Most Effective Way to Eliminate Kudzu Permanently?

The most effective way to stop new kudzu growth is to cut the vine just below its bulbous root crown. For larger infestations, combine mechanical cutting with systemic herbicides containing glyphosate or triclopyr.

Why Shouldn’t You Just Chop Down a Chinese Tallow Tree?

Chopping or mowing a Chinese tallow tree without treating it with herbicide triggers aggressive root and stump sprouting. It can cause the leftover lateral root system to produce dense thickets of new trees, making the infestation worse.

What Herbicides Kill Kudzu and Chinese Tallow?

  • Kudzu: Herbicides with active ingredients glyphosate or triclopyr applied as a foliage spray or directly to freshly cut vines.
  • Chinese tallow: Herbicides containing triclopyr, glyphosate, or imazapyr applied via cut-stump, wedge treatments, or direct spraying.