Hard growth on an old tree stump - what is it?!

moore.lisa

Planning to plant a shrub border in the garden of my new house but there’s a tree stump in it. There is something on top of it which looks a bit like fungus but is rock hard. Any ideas what it is, and whether / how it needs treating before I start planting shrubs around it? Thank you

Dovefromabove

Hi @moore.lisa  🙂 
It’s just a fungus ... some are hard, some are the more usual toadstool texture. 

Personally I would just leave it to do it’s job of breaking down the rotting stump and providing a home and good for the many invertebrates who will be living there.  

It’s not honey fungus so I wouldn’t worry. 

I think it looks beautiful with the moss and fungus on that stump ... I’d plant around it with ferns and foxgloves and native primroses etc. Gorgeous. 😊 

moore.lisa

Thank you so much for your advice, I can now plan my border properly without worrying about new plants dying off 🙂