Those shelf-like, mushroom-looking growths at the base of a trunk aren't just an odd sight in the yard. They're called conks, and they usually mean a fungal infection has already been breaking down wood inside the tree for a while before the fruiting body ever showed up on the outside.
By the time a conk is visible, the decay it signals is often further along than the outside of the tree lets on. A trunk can look healthy from the bark out while the core has lost real structural strength, which is exactly why conks are one of the signs we take most seriously on an inspection.
Not every conk means a tree is coming down tomorrow. Location, size, and how much of the trunk or root system is affected all factor into whether a tree needs monitoring, cabling, or removal. It's a call worth making with someone trained to read what the fungus is telling you.
Have you ever spotted one of these growths at the base of a tree on your property and wondered what it meant?
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An authentic close-up photo of fungal conks or shelf fungus on a real trunk or root flare from a past job, not a stock mushroom image.
Canva text suggestion: "That Growth Isn't Just a Mushroom" or "Conks Mean Decay Underneath"