Question
QUESTION: Hi Nick,

I came across your answer to "Chris" regarding Ganoderma.
I first notice Ganoderma on my foxtail.  The foxtail had been buried about 8-9 inches too low.  It got root rot.  We lifted the tree and put a sand soil mixture around it.  A couple of months later we noticed a 4" conch under the base where the roots had rotted. We did not know what it was and broke it off.
We treated the whole area around the base with blue copper fungicide.  It has not grown another conch, but the tree is struggling. The fronds have had to have help opening, so we have made the decision to remove the tree and not plant another in the same spot. NOW, my triple Christmas palm which is 50 ft away from the infected foxtail has conchs on it.  We sprayed these with the copper fungicide and they have shriveled.  It is heartbreaking to remove this robust tree that is currently thriving...very green, growing like crazy and about 8 feet tall. Do you have any suggestions?  I do have another triple Christmas Palm about 6 feet away from it and do not want to lose it too; No signs of ganoderma on it. I have a few Royals coming to my home and have to decide where to plant them. How far must the Royal be planted from where the infected Foxtail is? Should I get rid of the Christmas Palm now?  Thank you.  Dot


ANSWER: Hi Dot,there is no cure for it, sadly the tree will continue a slow decline; as far as it spreading, I know that the precaution is not to plant anything where it was, for the spores are in the soil. I am not a plant pathologist, so I can't say for sure how it will effect the others, but I know that I have had it on one of mine and after removing it and the soil it was planted in, i didn't have any further problems. Nick

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QUESTION: Yes, the consensus is that these trees will take up to 3, even 4 years, to die. I am still not sure what to do about the thriving Christmas Palm. Is it too dangerous for my other trees to leave it be for now? The conks that are on it are small (about an inch) and are shriveled from being treat with copper fungicide.  I would like to keep it and monitor it, but this is such an insidious fungus, I don't want to and up kicking myself for not removing it now.

Answer
...it is indeed insidious, and the sad part is that there is no cure or preventative; I would remove the Adonidia also, and I would excise the soil for 3 feet in each direction and down 3 feet also, in the hopes of getting rid of any of the spores that will be in the soil. Nick