grows on dead wood ...

nothing you can really do about it..

check out the link

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Some sort of conk. Very common that conks only grow on a genus or species of tree.

Dan

Thanks for the link Ken. I don't want to do anything about them......I think they're really cool! I was just curious why they tended to only grow on the black locust.

I really like funguses. Just for fun........here's a pic of one I took last year on a tree about 5 miles from here. A woman stopped and asked if I was having car problems, and I told her "No, I was just taking pictures of this fungus". She laughed and said "Oh yea, that's what I like to do........take pictures of fungus" and drove off.
How rude. haha Some of us actually like this kind of stuff! :)
The top one looks like a wild boar coming out of the tree!
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Thanks Dan!

From the picture and description the shelf fungus is likely Phellinus robiniae, specific only to black locust.
hortster

That particular locust rots slowly and takes a long time to die, so not an immediate concern. And thank you GG for hauling out your books so I didn't have to haul out mine ;o) , esp since its not edible...

Dan

Thanks gardengal and hortster,

Very interesting. We have a big stand of fairly sickly black locust that we use just for firewood. I know that the trees that they are on aren't healthy, and that's okay.
Is it common for this fungus to petrify? They seem hard as a rock.

Thanks Dan. We were writing at the same time.

my 12 year old knows them as bears bread ...

i get them on ANY rotting stump.. mulberry ... redbud.. apple... poplar ... though i cant say i have seen them on resinous plants.. but i wouldnt bet a buck on that ....

i guess the sperts are saying each one is a different fungus.. go figure on that ...

some growing on a sycamore near mom's house.. 20 feet in the air ....

ken

We have an old dead boxelder stump by our deck. We enjoy seeing what's going to grow on it every year.
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{{gwi:334474}}

There's a type of polypore that is particular to red fir that has its own little system on it - it exudes water and the ants come for the water and the spiders for the ants, and so on, cooler under there as well. As a general rule few of the fungi on trees are edible, with the notable exception of honey mushrooms and oyster mushrooms, both common. There are a couple uncommon ones, but generally inedible.

Dan

Ain't nature grand?!

Hey, gardengal48, my apologies! I need to learn to read every line of every thread. I was an hour late, but didn't read. You had this one nailed ahead of me, kudos. Hat is tipped in your favor!
hortster

My precious locust tree has them and I don't want it to die. Can I do anything to help the tree live as long as possible?

As stated in the previous posts, the appearance of these types of mushrooms on a black locust is indicative of heartwood rot. And heartwood rot is incurable. The tree is dying but may take a number of years before it fails completely. The immediate concern is that trees with heartwood rot are structurally unstable and prone to wind breakage and dropping limbs. I'd consider removal if sited where it could fall on the house, cars or passersby.

if its in the middle of the yard.. or fairway.. you need do nothing... and as noted.. there is nothing you can do ....

if its overhanging anything of value.. or dear to you.. it has to go ... its the circle of life...

if you have the space.. you ought to be planting a replacement tree this fall ...

ken