What are these mushrooms on my silver maple tree in Burton?

Dryad’s saddle (Polyporus squamosus) is a common fungus found on Maple and other deciduous trees in Burton, MI. If found on a living tree it is considered a parasite as it feeds on the living and dead wood of the tree which can cause branch or tree failure. The fungus is opportunistic entering into tree wounds from storm damage or improper pruning cuts that are too large in diameter for the tree species.

If you believe you have found dryads saddle in your tree or your tree may be susceptible, contact an ISA Certified Arborist to determine the best course of action.

Considerations when performing maintenance pruning on a tree with Dryad’s Saddle include:
• Based on tree species, thinning the upper canopy can mitigate storm damage during wind events.
• Reducing a limbs length and decreasing weight load can have the same effect on mitigating the risk of branch failure from a Dryads Saddle infection.
• Adding support cabling in place of removal of the limb can mitigate risk of branch failure from a Dryads Saddle infection.

Hiring a Certified Arborist who is knowledgeable about the long-term potential effects of pruning cuts is very important for the health of the tree, safety of the surrounding location of the tree, and the effect on future maintenance costs.

Typically, Dryad’s Saddle will feed and decay roughly 4 ft from where it enters the tree. It is important to consider how this will affect the tree structurally after the wound is made and to consider if the wound size is advantageous for Dryad’s Saddle infection to occur. On a silver maple this is typically a 12 inch in diameter cut or larger.

Silver maples are beautiful fast-growing trees and are commonly found in Burton landscapes. They offer great shade benefits and are a fairly low maintenance tree but do require maintenance as they mature to mitigate risk of property damage or injury.

Trunk failure on maple tree due to Dryad's Saddle fungus infection. | David Evans, Owen Tree Service