Spores from conks
Posted by Sarah Hall on May 12, 2008
Q: When conks on trees release their spores, do new conks grow from the released spores? Or should I ask, what happens after the conks release their spores?
Habitat: forest/open woods
State: North Carolina
Habitat: forest/open woods
A: To the best of my knowledge, once a conk has released its spores, it's finished! The fungal organism inside the tree that produced the conk (remember the conk is only the visible, reproductive structure) can produce new conks, but the conk that released its spores soon hardens and dies.
If you've ever felt conks on a tree you may have noticed that some are quite "tender" while others are almost wooden. The tender ones are young and either getting ready to release their spores or have just done so. The hard ones have accomplished their reproductive roles and are no longer useful and have become dried and hard. Hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
John Wiessinger ( May 12, 2008)