Nature's Oddities

Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

While walking on the greenway around your neighborhood or in your yard, have you spotted some funky-looking natural growths and wondered what are they? Are they useful? Do they harm the plant? What causes them?

The eerie sight of black fingers protruding from moss or a tree stump suggest a soul trying to escape! These are Dead Man's Fingers (aka dead man's toes) found growing on dead or decomposing wood such as tree stumps. It's a fungus, Xylaria polymorpha, produced by either wood-decomposing fungi or the fungus that causes root rot. Its club-shaped fingers produce reproductive spores that are released through a hole in the top spreading it around. The root rot fungus found at the base of trees is a problem for distressed trees, including apple, American elm, and honeylocust. There is no treatment and the trees must be removed, including the stump. The wood-decomposing fungus leaves behind nutrient-rich debris on which invertebrates feed.

Dead Man's Fingers, Xylaria polymorpha, on a decomposing stump -  Joanne K.

Slime Mold, Fuligo septica, growing on top of mulch - Joanne K.

Although Dog Vomit Slime Mold, Fuligo septica, really does look like the neighbor's dog vomited under your tree, the dog didn't do it! It's actually a mold that's grouped with mushrooms called Myxomycetes since it reproduces by spores. It feeds off of decomposing organic matter like mulch. Although gross to look at, slime molds are harmless to people, plants, and pets and actually help with natural decay processes. In dry conditions, they disappear on their own in a few days.

The Osage-Orange Fruit, Maculara pomifera, definitely falls into the ugly fruit category. About the size of a baseball, its knobby green skin ripens in the fall and is eaten by squirrels and other small mammals. While they enjoy the fruit, it's inedible for humans. Both the fruit and flowers smell bad and are messy. A deciduous tree in the mulberry family, it's native to the central southern U.S. Due to its nasty spines and dense growth, it was planted extensively in the Midwest to define property lines before the arrival of barbed wire. In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) planted it to prevent soil erosion.

Osage-Orange Fruit, Maculara pomifera - Jim Robbins, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Leaf Galls on a Camellia sasanqua leaf - Joanne K.

Those spongy-looking white growths observed on camellia leaves are Leaf Galls caused by the fungus Exobasidium camelliae. Usually, it's the Camellia sasanqua that's affected. While unsightly, these galls do not harm the health of the plant. Cool wet conditions favor their growth. Best control is to remove and discard the affected leaves when they appeared twisted and distorted and before they turn white and spread the spores by air or water.

Those thin, spidery-looking yellow flowers of the Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, suggest a witch's spell has been cast! This small deciduous tree, an eastern North American native, blooms from late fall to late winter making it the perfect addition to the all-season color garden. The fragrant flowers do best in full sun with beautiful yellow leaves in the fall. It's also a host plant for the larvae of the Witch Hazel Dagger Moth, Acronicta hamamelis, and attracts a variety of birds and pollinators.

Witch Hazel Flowers, Hamamelis virginiana - Kurt Wagner, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Hackberry Tree Bark, Celtis laevigata - Joanne K.

If you come across an unusually warty-bark tree on your walk in the woods, it's the Hackberry Tree, Celtis laevigata. Also known as Southern Hackberry, it's a North American native. This deciduous tree is in the hemp family (Cannabaceae). Its tiny flowers are of little interest, but its deep purple fruit is a favorite of many bird species and small mammals. Hackberry trees also serve as a larval host plant for several butterflies. The warty bark provides both a useful identification tool and visual interest in the winter garden.

Those spiky antennas and droopy petals are not some exotic insect in your garden but rather the Spider Lily, Lycoris radiata, a late summer-blooming bulb in the amaryllis family. It's always a surprise when the flowers appear on top of naked stems since the leaves sprout in the previous fall dying back in the spring. The antennas are actually the stamens, and the 6-parted wavy petals form a funnel shape on top of the stem. An Asian native, it does well in shady, moist areas but also grows in full sun. It's a pollinator plant attracting both butterflies and hummingbirds with its bright color.

Spider Lily Flowers, Lycoris radiata - Joanne K.

Keep your eyes peeled for these and other natural oddities while walking in your neighborhood and along woodland trails. These natural phenomena are all part of the wonders of the natural world, which make it so fascinating to learn about.

For more information:

    For the plants, go to the NC State Extension Plant Toolbox at plants.ces.ncsu.edu.

    For the mold, fungus, and galls, search by the Latin name.extension.