I have a twisted hazel in a large pot. It has a grey mould/fungus on the bark. What is it
By Supernan
Kent,
United Kingdom 
A twisted hazel has been in a large pot on the patio for a few years. It looks rather sick now and has a grey fungus/mould on the bark. Do you know what it is and how I can treat it please?
29 Apr, 2009
Answers
Thank you, I am sure you are right. Is it harmful?
29 Apr, 2009
Thank you Moon Grower; I looked it up and apparently it is harmless but a sign the poor tree needs some tlc.
29 Apr, 2009
It shows that you live where the air is clean! The lichen is not connected to the health of the tree though, that may be another issue altogether. If the Hazel has been in the same compost for a season then it will have exhausted the food. Scrape off as much of the compost from the top of the pot and replace with fresh JI No.3, or repot the whole tree in a bigger pot, or feed it with Miraclegrow or Maxicrop.
29 Apr, 2009
Possibly lichen but we'd need a pix. to i.d.
29 Apr, 2009