Coral Fungus

Pycnoporus coccineus


Coral fungus is often seen as bright orange-red ‘bubbles’ peeking out from cracked bark on Cherry trees, ornamental Plum trees and Silver Birches, among others. It eventually forms small brackets, often in tiers, on a branch or stem.

Coral fungus only consumes dead tissue; it does not attack living tissue in the tree, but if there are many brackets in smaller trees then that tree is often dying or nearly dead. If there are only a few brackets, it is a sign that your tree needs an arborist’s attention.

Finding Coral fungus in your tree is not necessarily a death sentence. Depending on the extent of the dead tissue it may only need pruning to remove the dead branch (or branches) that the fungus is growing on.

Commonly seen on: Weeping Cherries, Birches, Plums, dead wood on the ground.