This year I have a Maple tree with a ring of mulch and Lamium under it that is getting a whole lot of those weird, strange pointy red fungus things. Yuck! They have a distinct appearance (I won't say what) anyway, I'm used to a few here and there with all our moisture and humidity, but is there a way to keep em from sprouting? I go out there almost every day to knock them down because I can't stand to look at them!
That would be a Stinkhorn fungus...Family Phallaceae They come in a variety of colors and sizes and smells. The red ones are either Dog Stinkhorn or Devil's Dipstick, the Dog is wider than the Devil's. They start out as egg shaped then the other part breaks out and grows. You might try pulling up the eggs before they have a chance to spread the spores. Flies love them and they are the main spreader of the spores. Or remove the mulch they are growing out of.
Hey Toni, Thanks for your prompt reply and info! Yep, I would say they are Devil's Dipstick, but I can think of other names for them I just went out there and scraped around to unearth the wicked things. They are gross! I see the egg shaped things. There were a lot of flys around them too. It's so sticky hot & humid.The mulch is too nice in that spot to remove it, so I'll get the "eggs"and the wilted fungus outta there ASAP! ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )
Yeeeach... Not pretty. I know some fungus experts around here pick those eggs to eat. Personally I'll pass.
