The Garden Community for Garden Lovers
 

Bedfordshire, United Kingdom Gb

Can anyone identify this green thingy growing on the stems of a ceanothus and other shrubs, there is also a yellow version - they seem to have both appeared together?



Of_50_590_442_9_

Answers

 

It's lichen - and it's harmless to your shrubs. I've heard that it shows that the air is clean!

12 May, 2010

 

I think it is a symbiotic relationship between a fungi and an algae. Those must be some really 'old' twigs.

12 May, 2010

 

The yellow-green stuff coating your plant will be algae, but the green-greyish growth on part of it is lichen which has developed out of the algae where a fungus has combined with it. 'Symbiosis' means mutually beneficial. Lichen grows on masonry, with time, and is also grazed on by reindeer in the far north.

12 May, 2010

 

they are both species of lichen.

12 May, 2010

 

Yup both lichen

12 May, 2010

 

Oh, I wasn't looking closely enough. I can see them now. I was looking at the blurry bit. Just looked like slime.

12 May, 2010

 

Jonathan the twigs/branches don't need to be 'old' to have lichen form on them. One of our azaleas has had for over 20 years...

12 May, 2010

 

That's very interesting to learn. I've never had it occur on my own plants. But now that I think of it, I have seen them on grave stones where several different species live alongside each other, then their patterns are all the prettier.

12 May, 2010

 

Added to which surprised as I am lichen can damage the parent plant, but, so far as I know, only if it totally takes over!

12 May, 2010

 

thanks very much for your answers - is it ok just to leave it then?

16 May, 2010

 

Yes...no problem. :-)) Just keep an eye on it.

16 May, 2010

How do I say thanks?

Answer question

 


Not found an answer?