Daily Dose Blogger Bios
EEEEEWW! It's BACK!!!
So last night Jan and I were walking the two dogs known collectively as 'Eight Legs Of Terror', when I smelled a strange, disgusting, and familiar smell. Being the kind of person who investigates the icky, I looked for the source of the smell - and was rewarded by finding an old, sickening acquaintance of ours.
Yes, friends, the Stinkhorn is back!
(I had to spear the fungal member to get it to pose for a picture)
Sadie was titillated by the hideous stench and wanted to eat it, Dexter (the sensible one) turned his oversized head away from the odor of decay, and Jan tried to forbid me to bring it home. Tried. I attempeted to get the whole thing, but it broke off at the shaft, so I walked the rest of the way home holding a mushroom that looked like I'd ripped the penis off a corpse. Jan and the dogs walked ahead of me, trying to pretend that I wasn't with them. The smell was really bad.
Last year's Stinkhorn, known in scientific circles as Phallus impudicus, was a shock to all of us when it emerged in my backyard. The smell of rotting flesh was hanging in the air, and there it was - an erection coming straight out of the ground. We were all confused, especially Sadie, who wanted to eat last year's example as well. (yes - Sadie is not the dainty type). It seems like it would be horribly poisonous, but it isn't. In fact - the French eat this rank fungus, fresh or pickled! Those crazy French - what won't they eat?
I found this one about a block away from my house - but I think one came up in my yard recently, almost exactly where it emerged last year. I say I think because it was just the bottom part of it - no slimy top. And yes, I believe I know exactly what happened.
Sadie ate it.
EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWW!
See a time lapse viddy of the Phallus emerging from it's "egg"!
I've joked over the last two fall seasons that I seem to be raising stinkhorns as a cash crop. The thought that someone buys them and eats them -- that's too disgusting to consider.
There are certain parts of the garden I can't work in because of them. But I'm much better at catching them before they "bloom" and if you can get them in the golf ball stage and get rid of them that's good. I filled up a quart bag with the little white balls -- ugh! Our version is Clathrus columnatus -- and is red when it comes up but smells awful! I think we have so many because of the tree roots left underground after the hurricanes.
Hi Grdn_jr! I looked up your Clathrus columnatus ...YUK!!! It is icky looking as well as completely SCARY! What is creepier than seeing these things growing up out of the soil in your beautiful garden? The soil that you lovingly tend? EEEEEWWWW!!! YYUUUGGGHHHHLLLLAAARRRRGGHHH!
I've had something pop up in my front yard that looks a little like yours, but it opens at the top - it's known as the stinking squid. OMIGOD even the name is awful!!!
And they really can't be erradicated - we're kind of stuck with them.
I wonder if I could design a fungus garden....
hmmmm... something to ponder ....