Principle species colonised

Coniferous trees, particularly cedar, pine, Douglas fir, spruce, and larch; sometimes on yew and certain broadleaves.

Area affected

Usually, colonisation begins in the root system after honey fungus. Pruning and other wounds above ground can also lead to colonisation.

Type of decay.

A common brown rot that, when it develops through the root system, can travel several meters up the stem.

Fruit body / fungal structures

It can be found many meters from the tree’s base and is nearly round, occasionally funnel-shaped, and up to 300 mm in diameter when it forms on the ground above a rotting root. more bracket-like, occasionally with a short stalk, and/or forming cohesive groupings when affixed to the tree (anywhere from the high branches to the buttresses). The upper surface has a reddish felty covering and is primarily dark brown. It has a golden yellow border as it grows.
The dark brown bruising are greenish-yellow on the pore-bearing underside. The flesh is soft and spongy, with a rich rusty brown colour that hardens with age and dryness. The spores have a yellowish-white colour.

Seasonality and perseverance Fruit bodies develop between May and October, and they eventually perish after a few months. Dead and dark, they may continue until the next year.

Significance / Effect / Impact

Even in a relatively early stage of degradation, loss of tensile strength frequently results in brittle fracture close to the stem base. Branch snap or break-out can result from decay that starts above ground.