Is there such a thing as "city parks disease"?

Anyone on the forum ever heard of this? (A Google search has elicited no hits). One of the larger trees in my flat's shared garden recently died for no apparent reason and I asked a tree surgeon to come and look at it to give us a quote for felling it. He said it had city park(s) disease and needed to be removed, roots included, because it was highly infectious. The fella appeared to be reputable (he had all the insurance documents, was VAT registered, etc), but this diagnosis somehow didn't ring true with me...

 

What type of tree is it? Horse chestnuts are now being badly infected by a foreign insect pest, so are oaks. I've never heard of "city park disease"

 

It is - was - a lime tree.

 

The only thing I know of that could kill a mature lime is honey fungus

 

Hmm. Thanks, Hornbeam. I'll go and double-check whether it was a lime after all.

Do you rate honey fungus as particularly virulent?

 

Hello, MrGrieves, and welcome to GC! Of course, there's the infamous Dutch Elm Disease. A Yahoo search comes up with a few interesting articles regarding diseases in various trees in cities and parks.

I've had Honey Fungus twice, once in the UK and two years ago here. The UK incident was a large evergreen shrub of unknown identity and here it was a large Buddleia. In both instances I used Armitalox to wash the area for several weeks where these shrubs had been and have had no re-occurance, touch wood! :D :D but would say it is very virulent. :eek:

 

If it was honey fungus, then surely he would have said so, its quite a commonly known term.
More well known than "City parks disease" anyway, best to corner him and ask just exactly what this disease is, and if he cant give the proper name, then he's not genuine.
Perhaps he needs the work. :rolleyes:

 

Agree with you, Pete, seems like it may have been a lot of old codswallop to people who are not familiar with such. Removing trees, roots and all, is a very expensive venture. It happened to us at the IoW where a Ginkgo Biloba (Maidenhair Tree) was compulsorily removed for insurance purposes. :( :( It was a feature of the property so very sad indeed. :(

 

Thanks for all that advice, chaps. I thought there was something that didn't ring true about his diagnosis. I'll report back if he can come up with a proper name for the disease!

 

Yep, sounds like this is an expensive 'try on'.

Honey fungus will certainly kill trees - lost a laburnam to it earlier in the year but it's well known and once a tree is dead the fungus moves on to another victim so there's no need to take the root out unless you want to make sure ther are no spores lurking or if they're interfering with subsequent cultivation. Generally it's best to go for a disease resistant species if replanting . As mentioned above, a few healthy dosings with Amillatox should also be applied to the ground first.

There are a few new diseases doing the round - Duth Elm Disease, Sudden Oak Death, Holly Leaf Blight to name three - but they have specific causes and a professional would not only be able to give you a diagnosis but would advise on the right action to take. Felling a large tree is expensive due to equipment, H&S rules, Insurance etc. and it may even be necessary to consult with the local authority if there are issues with preservation orders or restricting a public highway while work is carried out.

For small trees its normally a case of make it safe then consult with the property owner with regard to root removal, stump grinding or just make it into a garden feature such as a bird table.

I reckon this guy is spinning a yarn.

 

Listen to frogesque, very good advice!

Honey fungus is orrible, I have never encountered it myself but I have friends in suffolk who say everything was fine almost the best they have seen the garden and then suddenly, like overnight, everything just withered and died. Sends shivers down my spine!!!

Hope you get it resolved MrGrieves , city park disease indeed. LOL.

BM