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Bottlebrush Tree Basal Fungal Conk: Fruiting Body Removal Insufficient

Marge: 4-year-old bottlebrush has hard whitish fungal growth at base, growing around/through lower branches.

Expert Assessment

Steve: hard fungal conk indicates internal disease. Removing conk only removes fruiting body, not disease.

Management

Physical removal of conk possible
Maintain plant health: fertilize and water well
No eradication possible for internal wood decay

Key Insight

Basal conks on woody plants signal advanced internal decay. External removal is cosmetic; internal fungal network persists. Health maintenance may prolong life but decay is progressive.

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