remove lichens/fungus on bark

[Joe Dupre']

Just curious to see what people do with these markings on smooth barked trees. It's pretty humid and rainy here, so most smooth barked trees have this mottled appearance caused by , I think, lichens or fungus. It's hard to remove without affecting the bark somewhat. A nylon brush and a lot of elbow grease eventually gets the job done. Just curious on who keeps it and who removes it. Leaving it may change the illusion of scale.......don't know. Not my tree......stock photo.

 

[Scorpius]

I like to spray moss with vinegar on my corbark elms.

 

[BrianBay9]

I find lichen on trunks to be a feature, not a deficiency. I think it gives the trunk more character. I'd prefer to keep it when possible.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I've done it both ways. I usually do brush off the fluffy lichens, though.

 

[leatherback]

Things on the bark like this, I would leave in place. When it is the crusty type, it gets removed. However, I hardly have any growing on the trunks, probably due to winter-treatment with oil & algea removers

 

[fredman]

For me lichen looks cute when young, but nasty when it takes over the tree. I used to to leave them, but lately I spray it with vinegar and remove when dried up.
Fungus can be killed by spraying 3% hydrogen peroxide. It still leaves those marks though. I leave the marks and tell myself it's character.