An ash tree in a Norfolk woodland swayed and groaned with a split trunk, appearing vulnerable to a collapse from ash dieback. Although recent storms left fallen sycamores, ashes, and an oak crisscrossing the forest floor, this particular ash remained standing.
Fungal Infections and Tree Stability
Examining one of the fallen ash trees revealed a completely hollow trunk containing golden scalycap and honey fungus. The honey fungus spreads underground through black rhizomorphs that resemble bootlaces, rotting the roots and slowly killing the tree upon contact.
When multiple fungi colonize the same wood, they compete for territory by establishing boundaries sealed with darkly pigmented fungal threads called melanised hyphae, forming an intricate battle map.
The Art of Spalting
This dark patterning is known as spalting. While the timber industry views it as an indicator of weak and compromised wood, craftspeople and furniture makers highly prize it for the unique character and butterfly wing-like veins it brings to wooden items.
Despite medical restrictions on power tool use, a fallen spalted ash trunk was cut open to reveal the intricate markings running completely through it, while the original damaged ash tree continues to sway in the woods.
