I’ve had quite a few people ask questions about mushrooms that are popping up all over the county over the past few weeks. They seem to be in many lawns as well as affecting shrubs and flowers. Continuous rainfall, unusually warm temperatures and extreme humidity have encouraged growth over the past few weeks. Mushrooms or toadstools are the reproductive structures (flowers) of fungi which feed on decaying organic matter. Mulch, dying trees, discarded buried construction wood or rotting roots provide the perfect growing environment for these plants along with the ideal weather conditions.

Wood-decaying mushroom fungi can also enter trees and shrubs through open wounds of trunks, branches or roots.  The fungi invade the vascular system of the plant, initiating decomposition. Landscapes with mushrooms growing near the base and lower tree trunk should keep a watchful eye. This is a signal that there is decomposition within the vascular system of the tree or shrub. Death may be a matter of a few months or many years depending on the tree species, its health, type and stage of the fungus.

Fast-growing mushroom fungi also grow very quickly from rotting roots of trees that remain in the soil though they have been removed for many years. Most homeowners with mushrooms in their lawns are often unaware of old, decaying roots that pop up in lawns often in a circular pattern.  There is no practical control for mushrooms in lawns or flower beds. They slowly fade away in a few days or when dry weather returns. The mushrooms can easily be removed with no problem to the turf.

Most mushrooms growing throughout Rowan County are generally non-poisonous. However, many mushrooms growing wild can be extremely poisonous. Only someone with expert knowledge can distinguish edible and poisonous mushroom species. Always be safe and never consume wild mushrooms.

Darrell Blackwelder is the retired horticulture agent and director with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County. Contact him at deblackw@ncsu.edu.