Spectacular!!

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

I was browsing out in my back yard woods and I run across this little stump.

 I was hoping they were elephant ears but they are not. Rock solid! Beautiful! 

[8ntruck 6,991]

I watched some of those grow on a tree next to the trial where I frequently walk the dog.  I first noticed them, they were about the size of a half dollar.  Before they got frosted, they had grown to about 10".

[roadapples 6,983]

Something that looks like those grows on locust trees. Only they are hard like bark. When they get big enough they make neat whatnot shelves....

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

23 minutes ago, roadapples said:

Something that looks like those grows on locust trees. Only they are hard like bark. When they get big enough they make neat whatnot shelves....

Yes I'm keeping my eye on these as they age and die off in the cold. I tapped on them and they are rocksolid.

[ZXT 2,401]

What are they? Some sort of fungus?

[formariz 11,987]

1 hour ago, ZXT said:

What are they? Some sort of fungus?

It is a fungus. Its called a bracket fungus most likely that one an oak bracket fungus. There are many different types some of them actually edible. They are a parasite that usually grow on dead trees. If on a live tree they can actually kill it eventually.

[Digger 66 3,478]

I see things like that all the time riding in the forest . always wondered what they were .

I just thought they were some type of mushroom thingy .

Thanks !

[ebinmaine 67,299]

3 hours ago, Digger 66 said:

I see things like that all the time riding in the forest . always wondered what they were .

I just thought they were some type of mushroom thingy .

Thanks !

You're both correct. 

 

Mushroom is a fungus. 

 

 

 

On our hike a few weeks ago we learned how to identify and harvest Chaga. 

Looks like a hunk o charcoal growing out of the tree. 

Absolutely concrete hard and can be challenging to remove from the tree. 

It grows (in our area) on white and yellow birches and only North of a certain line (49th parallel??). 

We found a couple that were quite large and one that massive. Some over ten pounds. 

It's VERY difficult and time involving to process because of the hardness. 

Also quite valuable both monetarily and as a supplement. 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,027]

Fungus art  Painting and burning.

 

 

[AMC RULES 37,130]

 

[WHNJ701 4,165]

I am Probably the only person that keeps a piece of fungus in the china cabinet

[tom2p 2,394]

On 11/7/2020 at 9:55 PM, roadapples said:

Something that looks like those grows on locust trees. Only they are hard like bark. When they get big enough they make neat whatnot shelves....

I believe this is what you described - on a locust tree on the back of our property 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by tom2p

[roadapples 6,983]

That's it...

[lynnmor 7,302]

I have a lot of locust trees with the growth on them.  You will find rot inside where they are and the usual cause of the rot is carpenter ants hollowing out the inside and allowing rain water to collect.  Locust can be excellent firewood, but that rot makes it very poor.

[953 nut 55,092]

Oak stumps are great for growing Shiitake Mushrooms.

[tom2p 2,394]

4 hours ago, lynnmor said:

I have a lot of locust trees with the growth on them.  You will find rot inside where they are and the usual cause of the rot is carpenter ants hollowing out the inside and allowing rain water to collect.  Locust can be excellent firewood, but that rot makes it very poor.

darn - hope we don't lose that tree 

 

I believe our grape vine posts were locust - fairly weather resistant and heavy / dense

 

and yes - burned well in our fireplace 

 

[formariz 11,987]

6 hours ago, lynnmor said:

I have a lot of locust trees with the growth on them.  You will find rot inside where they are and the usual cause of the rot is carpenter ants hollowing out the inside and allowing rain water to collect.  Locust can be excellent firewood, but that rot makes it very poor.

I have them here some around 100 feet tall. They are extremely dangerous since they are all hollow inside from rot . One I don't even understand how it stands since it only has the sapwood holding it on the bottom. All the ones close to the house I already removed. Many years ago in a wind storm a total of 13 of the fell within minutes from each other all breaking right at the bottom.

[WHNJ701 4,165]

They spread like crazy, the young ones have killer thorns too.  Look nice when they bloom.  The old man planted a few on his side, they are good host trees for native insects.

[tom2p 2,394]

1 hour ago, jabelman said:

They spread like crazy, the young ones have killer thorns too.  Look nice when they bloom.  The old man planted a few on his side, they are good host trees for native insects.

the 'killer thorns' were the reason I discovered flat-proof back in the day 

 

had flat-proof in every motorcycle tire