Because I was out back looking around the garden, I noted a pinkish-orangish spike coming from the ground, which I think is a Stinkhorn or Mitinus Elegans.
Initially, I thought someone poked a pink pencil in my yard for some reason. I have never seen anything like this in my garden before and I lived here many years. It was growing under the shade of a large maple tree.
Although it is stated to be smelly, I didn’t detect an odor. There are flies, ants and bugs around it and some insects seemed stuck to the sticky looking second layer. I imagine these insects smell something to attract them.
Then, measuring the stinkhorn in my yard, found it to be approximately 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches tall and slightly bent to one side. Please see photograph with yard measuring stick.
More Information on Stinkhorns
According to my online research, the Stinkhorn is a saprobe. The pinkish-orangish stinkhorn is a chemoheterotroph, or saprotroph, as it feeds on decaying matter/leaves on the forest floor.
Flies and other insects are attracted to the smell and the slime band. They pick up spores on their legs and carry them to other areas. This reminds one of bees landing on flowers for pollination.
When the conditions are perfect, a reproductive fruiting body is generated or the Stinkhorn. The best conditions for a fungus is lots of moisture, then it will complete its lifecycle. So, stinkhorns are found in late May. We had a nice downpour the other day, so this makes perfect sense.
The common species has been collected in Eastern North America from Florida to Great Lakes, as far west as Iowa and Texas.
Ending Notes on the Stinkhorn
I never know what type of animal or plant life I’ll find in my yard so it’s always exciting when something new grows and I can share it with FMB Readers.
The area around the Stinkhorn stalk was a bit dry, so I gave it a bit of water and will continue to monitor it.
However, I’m not an expect on this subject but only found something online which looked similar, so hopefully my observations are correct. But if you disagree with me, please send me a note. Thank you.
Update: 8-12-2023
Looks like I found another Stinkhorn in my garden just off my patio. This one actually has a fly on it but, again, I don’t smell it. See photo below.
Research Sites: Wikipedia, virginiawildflowers.org and An Elegant Stinkhorn Grows in Arlington, VA by John Metcaife, Sept. 26, 2022.