Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Plant ABC's - F is for Fuligo Septica

Today's choice for the ABC's of my garden is this gross looking Fuligo Septica or Dog Vomit Slime Mold.  Ewwwww.  I didn't make this up it's really named after dog puke.  It was even "fungus of the month" on this site.



It appeared in the mulch out front just after the recent rains quit.  When I sat down to research it and saw the words "Dog Vomit Slime Mold" pop up, I was pretty sure I had found a match because that's exactly how it looks.

The good news is that we've had enough rain this year to grow things like mold and fungus.  Better than the drought of 2011, which I hope we will remember as the worst in Texas history.

Gardening isn't always about the pretty pictures.  Just had to share.

13 comments:

  1. Dog vomit...never heard of that one...very wild! I agree, nice to see a turn-around in the moisture and what it brings, even if not pleasant!

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  2. What a brilliant name. It certainly matches! Mold and fungus are some of the most amazing things created!

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  3. TOO FUNNY Shirley! I have this all over my garden at the moment as well. I never knew the name, but don’t you just love it! My husband laughed out loud when I told him. GREAT NAME!

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  4. OK...I have been envious of many things in your garden. I can state without hesitation..this is not one of them..haha
    We had some fungus a couple years ago, that looked like wax ears. Ugly..
    It was in mulch, too. Maybe something comes in with that mulch.
    But, you're right...at least there's enough moisture to grow this stuff.

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  5. That popped up in my mulch too, but I had no idea it had such a colorful, descriptive name. Thanks for the education.

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  6. Yes, I've seen it too, but never researched it. And, molds/fungi are the most fascinating, if gross, stuff around!

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  7. I bet there aren't many A-Z of plants lists that feature F for Fuligo. Very original. And I can see where the Common Name comes from, I mean I really can.

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  8. That's so true. I do all these pretty photo shoots and then I get to my garden and forget to take the not so pretty shots....like the ones of the rotting barrel cactus. And I should have....but didn't. Hope you have a nice Friday tomorrow. Chris

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  9. I hope I never see this in my yard. I might mistake it for the real thing! Either way, I think I'd steer clear of it! Yuck!

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  10. I got two of them this year! Never saw them before and thought some poor creature was lying dead on my property somewhere having up-chucked that goop. Thankfully an fellow Master Gardener posted a photo of one they saw in their yard and the mystery was solved. The bonus is that the research lead me to your blog!

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    1. Welcome and it's interesting to note this fungus seems to be everywhere this year.

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  11. I have this too and call it deer vomit because it seems to be right next to where the deer have eaten my plants. I have been putting Irish Spring Soap shavings around the plants to discourage them and thought maybe the soap made them sick and throw up.

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    1. I haven't found anything much works for deer. Just try to plant things they don't eat is best. Where in PA?

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