QUESTION: Fungus Growth on trees--This started on a dead Mimosa and is now growing on a Live Oak and another Mimosa (both are still alive). Will it kill the trees?

ANSWER:From the orange - brown coloration, this is probably Ganoderma lucidum. Yes, it will eventually kill her trees; No, there is nothing she can do except to never wound any roots or trunks of surrounding trees. If we could only get people to stop using lawn mowers and weedeaters to wound trees, this tragedy never would have happened. For more info, contact local Texas Forest Service representative.

Mark A. Peterson
Regional Urban Forester
Texas Forest Service