If you've noticed a strange red growth popping up in your backyard, your first reaction might be to wonder what on earth it is. It may look like a red tentacle, a tiny sea creature, or something that doesn't belong anywhere near your garden. And if there's a strong, unpleasant smell surrounding it, you'll probably want to know what's going on.
One possible explanation is a stinkhorn mushroom, a group of unusual fungi known for their distinctive shapes and foul odors. Some varieties are bright red or orange, making them especially noticeable when they appear in mulch, garden beds, or damp areas of the yard.
Although their appearance and smell can be unpleasant, stinkhorns are generally not harmful to lawns, gardens, or people simply because they're growing nearby.
What Is a Red Stinkhorn Mushroom?
Stinkhorns are fungi that belong to the family Phallaceae. Unlike familiar mushrooms with rounded caps and stems, many stinkhorn species have unusual shapes and vivid colors.
Some look like fingers rising from the ground, while others resemble narrow horns, latticed balls, or branching red structures.
One particularly striking type is the red stinkhorn, which can develop bright red or reddish-orange arms that extend upward from the soil. Depending on the species, the structure may look like a star, a cage, or several curled fingers.
The mushroom often begins developing inside an egg-shaped structure beneath or just above the soil. As it matures, it breaks through the outer covering and expands rapidly.
This sudden appearance is one reason people are often surprised to discover one in their backyard.
Why Does It Smell So Terrible?
The unpleasant odor is not accidental. It's part of how stinkhorn mushrooms reproduce.
Unlike many mushrooms that release spores into the air, stinkhorns produce a sticky, foul-smelling substance called gleba. It often coats the upper portion of the mature fungus.
The smell can resemble rotting meat, sewage, or decaying organic material. While humans find it disgusting, flies and other insects are attracted to it.
When insects land on the mushroom, the sticky material containing spores can attach to their bodies. As they move elsewhere, they help spread the spores and allow the fungus to reproduce.
In other words, the stinkhorn's awful smell is a clever natural strategy for attracting the insects it needs.
Why Is It Growing in My Backyard?
Stinkhorn mushrooms typically appear where conditions are suitable for fungal growth.
You may find them in:
Wood chips and bark mulch
Garden beds containing decaying leaves
Compost-rich soil
Areas with rotting wood or buried organic matter
Damp, shaded parts of the yard
