Can anyone help/diagnose this nasty?

Hi everyone.

I'm new to the forum so hello! I've just moved into a new property and a mature bush in the front garden has a white fungal growth at the base of the trunk, just above the soil.

I'm an amateur gardener with no knowledge of these things and was hoping that someone might recognise it and advise on a solution.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thank you.




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Thanks for your reply and welcome, @fatcontroller I'm reliably informed by my better half that it's a magnolia. It otherwise appears to be healthy. I'd be grateful for the thoughts of @Zigs on the matter! Thanks all!


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@nebrown
I think it is Horse Chestnut Scale, a fairly bad infestation, see http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=650 for more info

 

You need to use a soap based insecticide, or add some liquid soap to one and a scrubbing brush. You may also need to repeat the treatment a few times to get rid of it too.

 

I was gonna say, looks more like cocoons than a fungus.

 

yes its scale insect easily just to brush off or use a hose with squirt of washing up liquid first soon got rid off.
Ants love to feed from the poo they produce.

More than 25 different species of scale insects are pests in the UK and these include Pulvinaria, Diaspis, Parthenolecanium, Unaspis, Coccus species and others. They suck sap from the leaves and stems of their host plants. They are mostly 1-6mm (less than ¼in) long, although wisteria scale, Eulecanium excrescens, can be up to 10mm (about ½in), and vary in shape and colour.

All species have a shell-like covering over their bodies when mature. The eggs are often laid under the protection of this shell but with the cushion scales (eg Pulvinaria species) the eggs are deposited outside the scale under a mass of white waxy fibres.

The adults are sedentary but newly-hatched nymphs crawl actively over the plant surface and spread the infestation.

 

Hi all. Thanks for the advice about this - I didn't expect such a great response! I'll take a look at it again and hopefully report back success @fatcontroller - it does look like cottonwool. All in all pretty horrid!


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