Just the other day while I was trimming the grass in my backyard, something unusual caught my eye right by our ornamental crabapple tree. When I took a closer look, what I saw could have been ripped right from a spooky film.
You know that moment when something catches you off guard, and you have to blink a few times and shake your head in disbelief? That’s exactly how I felt. What were these strange and ghostly growths doing in our serene garden?
No, they weren’t forgotten Halloween props—they were the unsettling Dead Man’s Fingers fungi, making themselves at home right in my yard. And that’s not good news.
If you spot these bizarre, black, club-like mushrooms near a tree’s base, you could be dealing with the dead man’s finger fungus. This can signal a grave issue requiring swift action. Keep reading to learn crucial details about this fungus and get advice on how to manage this eerie invader.
What is Dead Man’s Finger?
Meet the strange and aptly named Dead Man’s Fingers, or Xylaria polymorpha, a fungus that looks just like its eerie title implies. These growths mimic decaying, dark fingers emerging from the earth. Widely found, this fungus thrives by breaking down dead or deteriorating wood, contributing to the decomposition process in a natural and beneficial way.
Dead Man’s Fingers is one of about 100 species within the Xylaria genus, notable for its varied but typically club-like structures that resemble charred wood. The term “polymorpha” in its scientific name highlights its ability to appear in many forms.
This fungus is commonly seen around the bases of weakened or dead trees and shrubs, including in residential areas where it can affect decorative plantings. It’s particularly drawn to trees like apple, maple, and elm, among others.
Functioning as nature’s cleanup crew, Dead Man’s Fingers is a saprotrophic fungus. This means it targets only deceased or dying wood, helping to break it down into simpler substances that can be reabsorbed as nutrients by other plants.
Although it’s associated with wood decomposition and diseases like black root rot, this fungus is a symptom of existing damage rather than a cause of new harm. Often found in places with wounded bark or compromised roots, it plays a crucial role in the ecosystem by recycling nutrients back into the soil.
What does the dead man’s fingers mushroom look like?
Often mistaken for a plant, this intriguing fungus resembles human fingers, standing about 1.5 to 4 inches tall. When they cluster together, they eerily mimic a human hand emerging from the ground. This fungus, flourishing in spring, initially sports a pale or bluish hue with a pristine white tip, evolving to a dark gray and eventually black as it matures.
Found primarily on or near decaying wood, these fungi are notorious for infecting trees, leading to a progressive decline in tree health. Infected apple trees, for instance, might yield a bumper crop of unusually small fruits before succumbing to the disease.
These fungi belong to the Ascomycetes phylum, known as sac fungi due to their unique reproductive structure, the ascus, which houses four to eight ascospores. These sac fungi are further categorized by the formation of their reproductive structures and how they release spores.
The dead man’s fingers, unpalatable and inedible, are distinctive with their black or brown external coloring, sometimes tinged with blue or green, and a contrasting white interior dotted with perithecia—tiny structures harboring the asci that release spores.
During their maturity, the fruiting bodies might appear as individual digits or occasionally fused together, completing the spore distribution process over several months. In spring, they also produce a layer of white or bluish asexual spores, known as conidia, adding to their striking appearance.
The Ecological Role of Xylaria in Decomposing Wood
Dead man’s fingers is a unique form of fungus in the Xylaria genus, known for its peculiar club-like structures that are essentially the reproductive parts of the fungus.
These “fingers” produce and disperse sexual spores, known as ascospores, from a small opening at the tip and can continue this process for months or even years. During spring, the fungus can also generate asexual spores called conidia from its surface.
This fungus thrives on decomposing hardwood and often appears in clusters, taking on various forms. It derives its scientific name from its affinity for wood (‘Xyl-‘ means “woody”) and its diverse shapes (‘Poly-‘ means “many” and ‘Morph-‘ means “shape”).
Typical hosts include beech, apple, maple, locust, and elm trees, although it can affect stressed ornamental trees and shrubs, potentially leading to black root rot.
Once you spot these finger-like projections above ground, it’s often an indication that the tree is severely infected and might not survive. It’s advisable to remove the infected tree and as much of the root system as possible to prevent further spread.
Interestingly, Dead man’s fingers can also appear in wood mulch without signaling any disease, like the one discovered in my friend’s yard in Wisconsin.
This fungus is saprobic, feeding on the polysaccharides in timber and leaving behind soft, nutrient-rich debris that supports various invertebrates. Additionally, it’s been linked to an annual nuisance involving a mulch-digesting fungus known as the Columned Stinkhorn (Clathrus columnatus), which produces a potent odor.
This fungus thrives in woody mulches and forms a white, egg-like structure that blooms into an orange, multi-legged mushroom with a brown mucus underside smelling strongly of rot. This attracts flies, spreading the fungus to new locations and perpetuating its life cycle. Although it poses no environmental threat, the odor can be quite bothersome to gardeners.
Dead Man’s Finger Control and Preventative Strategies
If you stumble upon dead man’s fingers in your urban garden, it’s important to identify where they are sprouting from. These growths, which may appear on tree trunks or roots, indicate a severe problem known as soft rot that rapidly deteriorates the tree’s structure.
Sadly, once this condition is detected, the tree is usually beyond saving and should be promptly removed to prevent any risk of it falling. However, if you notice the fungus exclusively on wood mulch at the tree’s base, you can simply clear away the mulch to manage the issue.
Regrettably, there’s no effective chemical treatment to combat this fungus. Your best bet is to manually remove these growths, seal them in a plastic bag, and dispose of them with your regular trash.
Regular inspections, especially during this season, can help you catch and dispose of these fungi before they mature and become more problematic. As a preventative measure, opt for non-woody mulches like leaves or pine straw, which are less attractive to the fungus.
To avoid future issues with dead man’s fingers, avoid planting trees or shrubs that are known to be susceptible in areas where the fungus has been previously spotted.
Ensuring that your plants are well cared for through adequate watering, fertilization, and proper mulching can also diminish the likelihood of infection. Unfortunately, there are no tree or shrub varieties that are resistant to Xylaria, making preventive care even more crucial.
Unlock the Power of Cinnamon in Your Garden
Can You Eat Dead Man’s Fingers Fungi?
When I first spotted those peculiar fungi, my initial reaction was intrigue. They made me wonder if they were fit for consumption. It reminded me of a saying shared by fellow hikers: “There are old mushroom hunters, and there are bold mushroom hunters, but you rarely find one who is both.”
Dead Man’s Fingers should definitely be off your menu. Consuming them can lead to serious stomach upset. Before you handle this fungus, it’s crucial to identify what it’s attached to.
If it’s merely breaking down old hardwood mulch beneath your tree, you can simply clear away the mulch. However, if it’s attached to a tree, it might be safer to remove the tree to prevent any potential danger, as Dead Man’s Fingers typically don’t affect healthy wood.
Moreover, it has recently been discovered that all species of the Xylaria genus, to which Dead Man’s Fingers belong, contain amatoxins and phallotoxins. These toxins are found in some of the deadliest mushrooms known.
Interestingly, in traditional Ayurvedic medicine from India, this fungus is used in a dried and powdered form, mixed with sugar to help stimulate milk production post-childbirth. Apart from this specific use, they are generally not safe to eat.
Related posts:
- Keanu Reeves-Inspired Bacteria Discovered To Kill Deadly Fungi
- Embracing Corn Smut: The Unexpected Delicacy in Your Garden
- Your Ultimate Guide to Cultivating Mushrooms: A Journey of Flavor and Abundance
