Failure diagnosis experts - where's the VTA for this one?

Eric Frei

I'm not saying much more than the pictures tell, however I will say it wasn't iron deficiencies that contributed to this blow over. Species is fiddlewood tree (Citharexylum spinosum)

So, imagine you were asked about this trees health prior to the incident, what would you have spotted?

Let the games begin.

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TrevMcRev

Mmmm... Interesting.
I know nothing about the species, do they normally sucker at the base like that.

Eric Frei

5 years ago I would say no they dont sucker at the base unless of course you mistreated the canopy with a good whacking.

But after the lantana bug fiasco many have suckered at the base, nothing unusual in that.

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Sean Freeman

This is not a species I'm fond of at all, apologies to all down South who love them, they just never really look much better than the one in Ekkas pics up here.

They do coppice themselves readily after any significant damage to the upper parts of the tree.

Ive seen them covered in basal shoots, but I would still say it is a VTA indicator and one that leads you to look closer at the roots and lower stem irrespective of the species.

More significant for me is the dramatic difference between the vigor and size of the new growth from the basal/lower stem shoots and the upper canopy.



Again the upper canopy in Ekkas photo is how I generally see them up here, very poor seasonal growth elongation in the new twigs, poor leaf size and repeated leaf abscission perhaps three or four times a year. But it is the difference between the upper and lower portions that attracts attention and makes the Arborist ask why? Whats going on here?

Its a gimme with the photos since we all know the tree failed due to fungal decay that wood tissue in Ekkas hand is like a wet sponge. in fact the only thing really holding the tree up seems to have been the star picket swallowed by the trunk!



Its really not all that unusual not to see fruiting bodies though one could suspect that there were some we just can't see them in the photos. Often I've been at tree failures when only after 5mins of andering around do I suddenly come across fruiting bodies then I see lots...where were they before? Maybe its just me and my bad eyesight!!!

I always carry my high tech assessment tool for detecting fungal decay in roots and stems........acoustic nylon hammer....the more you use this simple cheap tool the better you become at identifying altered tissues, it helps to back up other subtle indicators in the lower stem like sunken areas, altered bark textures lack of buttress roots on one side.....etc