Fuligo septica

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaIndoor plantsPlant Health CareUncategorized
Written By Peter Morris

Introduction

It’s a slime mold ! – not related to fungi and more like an animal. It grows worldwide on rotten wood, plant debris and, most commonly on mulch. It produces wind-borne spores that can remain viable for years, waiting for conditions favorable for growth.

Growth

When it is warm and wet enough, the spores absorb moisture and crack open to release cells that fuse together into a plasmodium. This forms a mass of protoplasm containing multiple cell nuclei that aren’t separated by cell walls.

The plasmodium acts like a gigantic amoeba, surrounding and engulfing its food. It eats mainly bacteria that is on decomposing wood. It usually forms a large gooey mass of bright yellow slime. Called by some as the “dog vomit slime mold”.

When it first appears, this peculiar species of plasmodial slime mold looks like scrambled eggs. As it dries it becomes brown.

Where are they from ?

This slime mold has worldwide distribution. Found on bark, mulch, lawns, as well as other rotting organic matter in urban areas after heavy rain or excessive watering. Their spores are produced on or in aerial sporangia and are spread by wind.

Ethnobotany

Scandinavian folklore says it’s the vomit of troll cats, mythical creatures that suck milk from cows and spit it into pails for witches.

In Latvia, it has been called “witch’s butter” or “witch’s spit.”

In Finland, the mold was believed to be used by witches to spoil their neighbors' milk. This gave it the name "paranvoi" (butter of the familiar spirit).

The Dutch call it "heksenboter" (witches' butter).

Toxicity

The species is known to trigger episodes of asthma and allergic rhinitis in susceptible people. Otherwise, it is nontoxic and actually edible . In parts of Mexico, some people cook and eat it when it’s at this early growth stage. PASS !

Despite its unflattering nicknames it does not harm plants, people or animals.

If you see some on the mulch – let it be !

It’s good for your garden!

We at Plant Specialists just enjoy it for the curiosity it is.

PLANT SPECIALISTS

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 53 YEARS !

Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBA

All photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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