So the weeping willow is not looking good. Some of the branches started blackening at the tips and it's working its way back. The exposed heartwood looks black and moldy.
But I think there may be something worse. I had read another post about "root flare" so I have been checking out my trees and shrubs looking to see if they have proper trunk/ flare. The willow seems to have nice flare on one side but on the other, there is this lumpy growth area. I touched one spot and it was like corky, soft and just fell off. There is another smaller lump on the adjacent side that has a whitish look and is very hard. I gently pulled back the soil and there is a reddish brown sawdust looking type material by the lumps. Is this indicative of crown gall? Crown rot? Are they one and the same?
