Lichen!

Melissa Thompson from The Tree People

A harmless and sometimes considered unslightly combination of algae or cyanobacteria and a fungus, coming together in a mutually beneficial relationship.

With a range of colours and forms, the presence of lichen on a tree is a sign of clean healthy air and that it has no negative impact on the growth of the tree.

An epiphyte (a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant), lichens are unlikely to kill a tree, or cause it to fail. Lichens are not parasitic and do not draw nutrients from the tree.

Lichens need sunlight for photosynthesis, so they don't thrive in heavy shade. Consequently, they are typically found on deciduous trees or trees that are already dying, as these conditions provide less leaf cover in the canopy, allowing more light to reach the lichens.

While it is normal and natural for lichen to be present on a tree, an abundance of lichen might suggest that the tree is experiencing some form of stress.

If you are concerned about the presence of lichen
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