Insects and Diseases of Trees in the South

by Anonymous

SPICULOSA CANKER

Spiculosa canker, caused by Poria spiculosa, is found on bottomland oaks in the South. Occasionally this disease will also degrade hickories and honeylocust.

Fruiting body of Poria rot and canker on oak.

Cross section of tree showing rot and decay.

Spiculosa canker is considered to be a canker-rot disease, a type of decay in which the causal organism incites not only heart-rot but also large irregular cankers. Infected trees have cankers that appear as rough circular swellings on the bole. The canker centers are depressed and old branch stubs are discernible. Fungus fruiting bodies, or conks, usually are not present on living trees but develop on snags or decayed logs. The conks grow flat under the bark and push it off to expose the brown fungus fruiting surface.

Control for Spiculosa canker is similar to other canker rots: salvage to remove undesirable cankered trees that may be later replaced by better quality trees.