Maple branches and lichen

[Xoetix]

My neighbor across the street just had their huge, beautiful maple tree cut down... For some stupid reason. Super sad.

I ran across the street and grabbed a few branches. They're beautiful and healthy wood, no disease in the tree, but there are a few with lichen - the greenish flat kind, if that makes a difference.

What's the easiest way to remove it? Do I need to worry about removing it? My plan is to cut them to easier to manage sizes and get some mounting bolts and turn them into perches.

 

[Emma&pico]

My neighbor across the street just had their huge, beautiful maple tree cut down... For some stupid reason. Super sad.

I ran across the street and grabbed a few branches. They're beautiful and healthy wood, no disease in the tree, but there are a few with lichen - the greenish flat kind, if that makes a difference.

What's the easiest way to remove it? Do I need to worry about removing it? My plan is to cut them to easier to manage sizes and get some mounting bolts and turn them into perches.

I don’t know what lichen is put I put mine in big buckets or sink with boiling hot water soak rub with hard side of sponge or wire brush f10 rinse either outside in sun or on radiator to dry I don’t like putting them in oven but that’s an option

please share pictures

 

[Pixiebeak]

I sand it off. I don't think lichen is ok . But . I had some on my crepe myrtle branches that I wanted to use . So I sanded off . Then I I scrub in dawn soap, rinse, soak in dilute bleach water, rinse , scrub again then let dry . I don't like oven method, to hard
Is maple safe? I can't remember all the safe trees ..

 

[April]

@Mizzely will surely know

 

[Xoetix]

I sand it off. I don't think lichen is ok . But . I had some on my crepe myrtle branches that I wanted to use . So I sanded off . Then I I scrub in dawn soap, rinse, soak in dilute bleach water, rinse , scrub again then let dry . I don't like oven method, to hard
Is maple safe? I can't remember all the safe trees ..

Yeah, maple is listed as a safe wood. This one was a silver maple, from what I can find the only unsafe maple is a boxelder (though I can't find a reason why).

I hate baking them just because it takes forever, but once they're cut down to size I could probably fit it in my oven. The sanding is probably going to take forever

@Emma&pico this is the type of lichen on the bark

 

[Shezbug]

The lichen should be absolutely fine and safe for your birds as far as I know...

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[Mizzely]

I usually sand it off. A wire bristled brush can sometimes help.

 

[Emma&pico]

Yeah, maple is listed as a safe wood. This one was a silver maple, from what I can find the only unsafe maple is a boxelder (though I can't find a reason why).

I hate baking them just because it takes forever, but once they're cut down to size I could probably fit it in my oven. The sanding is probably going to take forever

@Emma&pico this is the type of lichen on the bark

View attachment 437399

Oh I’ve had that on mine picks off easy I just soak and grub

 

[WillowQ]

Or bake the cut-to-length branches and then remove bark with a knife (or draw knife).

Soaking in hot water or mild bleach water would get the lichen to peel off too.

I would just not worry about lichen as it’s eaten by many animals.

 

[MommyBird]

If you google "are lichens toxic" you find that some lichens are safe for different animals to eat, but there are a good number that are toxic.
here is one article, you can google for more.
The surprisingly toxic world of lichens

 

[Shezbug]

If you google "are lichens toxic" you find that some lichens are safe for different animals to eat, but there are a good number that are toxic.
here is one article, you can google for more.
The surprisingly toxic world of lichens

I have heard more than once here that the lichens we find on the native trees are safe and two vets actually told me to leave them for the birds to remove as they are not harmful.

This article I linked up above is written by a vet and also states they are safe so this leaves me wondering if there are certain surfaces or places where the lichens could be a problem and other places where they are totally safe.

 

[Emma&pico]

I have heard more than once here that the lichens we find on the native trees are safe and two vets actually told me to leave them for the birds to remove as they are not harmful.

This article I linked up above is written by a vet and also states they are safe so this leaves me wondering if there are certain surfaces or places where the lichens could be a problem and other places where they are totally safe.

Honestly it makes me wonder how wild birds survive (I get different birds from different places etc ) but I can just imagine mummy and daddy bird right here’s a list with pictures of things THAT WILL KILL YOU

 

[Shezbug]

Honestly it makes me wonder how wild birds survive (I get different birds from different places etc ) but I can just imagine mummy and daddy bird right here’s a list with pictures of things THAT WILL KILL YOU

The knowledge passed down through the animals generations is amazing really, there are so many toxic things out there yet so many wild animals live in harmony with all these dangerous things and we dummies have to find out everything the hard way...

Human kids: Why should I listen to the parents or adults? They are old and stupid, I can do what I want... oops, that mushroom I just found and ate is making me feel weird!

Wildlife kids: Thank goodness the oldies showed us not to eat this particular thing and I am so glad to know that the bark from this particular tree here is gonna make us better when we are unwell.

 

[Emma&pico]

The knowledge passed down through the animals generations is amazing really, there are so many toxic things out there yet so many wild animals live in harmony with all these dangerous things and we dummies have to find out everything the hard way...

Human kids: Why should I listen to the parents or adults? They are old and stupid, I can do what I want... oops, that mushroom I just found and ate is making me feel weird!

Wildlife kids: Thank goodness the oldies showed us not to eat this particular thing and I am so glad to know that the bark from this particular tree here is gonna make us better when we are unwell.

Very true but the kid in me still says nope not listening

 

[flyzipper]

I'm not concerned with lichen, but it gets eradicated in the process of dealing with everything else that may be on the limbs.

Outside, I wire brush then pressure wash.
Once inside, I spray with F10 a couple times and let sit for while before use (I have a stockpile of them).

The lengths I use are too long to bake or soak and the bark stays on.

 

[Parutti]

I had no idea silver maple was safe! I have so many volunteer trees this year, too!

 

[Pixiebeak]

Honestly it makes me wonder how wild birds survive (I get different birds from different places etc ) but I can just imagine mummy and daddy bird right here’s a list with pictures of things THAT WILL KILL YOU

Wild birds spend so much time surviving, avoiding predators, raising family . Wilr bored cage birds will chew anything.

But you can't get a surface clean if you leave debris on it. If it's moist and growing stuff , could have mold too?

I don't know safe or not. I don't like leaving it . I usually won't choose wood with it in the first place.