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Maple tree fungus #650315

Asked June 13, 2020, 11:07 AM EDT

Greetings! I hope you all are doing well. We have a question about our maple tree we are hoping you can help us with.

I attached pictures so hopefully they are helpful. The tree started turning early last year on one side and this year that side never leafed out (visible in 1st picture). The fungus appears to be bursting through the bark in one spot (2nd picture) and is visible under the bark where it's chipped away in another (2nd picture upper right and 3rd picture) .

We've had a hard time identifying this fungus and while I'm fairly certain it's lethal at this point and is too far gone to trim as it's spreading down the main trunk, we dont know if it has the potential to spread to other trees and we have another much larger maple about 30 feet from it that we are concerned about.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Washington County Minnesota

Expert Response

Thank you for writing.
This is probably, judging from the loss of leaves and the fungus, maple tree heart rot

https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/deciduous/maple/branchesfungi.html
https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/buffalo/Heart%20Rot%20in%20Trees%20November%2015%202014.pdf
The fundamental condition is not curable and the tree will become increasingly structurally unsound.
You should have an arborist look at it, probably for removal.
https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/how-hire-tree-care-professional

 
Steve Miles  Master Gardener, Hennepin County MN (I answer using human intelligence, not AI) Replied June 13, 2020, 12:52 PM EDT

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