Lichen

Lichen thrives in shady and damp environments so it is no wonder why it is very common in Victoria, BC. Lichen is white, beige, green or brown in colour often and has a flaky looking texture. Lichen comes in many forms and can therefore be difficult to identify. It is common for lichen to grow on the bark of trees. Lichen is made of a combination of fungus and algae and it is completely harmless to trees. The lichen attaches to the tree only on the surface and does not take any nutrients from the tree or harm the tree in any way. Lichen is sometimes visually similar to moss and it grows in similar places.

How To Remove Lichen

• Gently scrub off the lichen by hand or with a soft tool that will not damage the tree bark.
• Spray the lichen with a soapy water mixture to loosen the lichen's attachment point to the tree bark and gently scrub it off.
• Prune your tree to allow more sunlight on the areas the lichen is growing. This will work because lichen grows best in shady, cool, and moist areas.

Moss On Trees

Moss thrives in shady and damp environments. Moss can be many shades of green or yellow and has a soft looking texture. It is common for moss to grow on trees. The moss attaches to the tree only on the surface and does not take any nutrients from the tree or harm the tree in any way.

Why Remove Moss

Moss can add extra weight to the branches of the tree causing them to be more susceptible to braking. Moss can also retain moisture which in rare causes could promote disease. These effects are uncommon and therefore removing moss from your tree is generally only necessary for visual purposes.

Removing Moss

• Gently scrub off the moss by hand or with a soft tool that will not damage the tree bark.
• Spray the moss with a soapy water mixture and gently scrub it off, being careful not to damage or remove the bark.
• Prune your tree to allow more sunlight on the areas the moss is growing. Moss does not like direct sunlight so pruning will help reduce the amount of moss on a tree.