CELEBRATING 28 YEARS! Welcome to my weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Q: Hi Linda, I have this mushroom or fungus-type growth that looks like coral growing in the mulch under my hollies and rhododendrons. Is it harmful to my plants? If so, is there any way to eradicate it short of digging out all the mulch? - Denise A: Hi Denise, That is a wonderful photo of Crown-tipped Coral Fungus (Artomyces pyxidatus or Clavicorona pyxidata). This is a very common and widespread coral fungus in eastern North America. The flesh of the Crown-tipped Coral Fungus is tough and pliable; not brittle. It is saprobic, which means it obtains nutrients from rotting wood. It grows alone or in groups on dead, well- rotted wood of hardwoods, especially aspen, willow, maple, tulip tree and cottonwood during spring, summer and fall. It is not at all harmful to your plants. There must be a buried stump or root that the fungus is growing on. If you don't like the way it looks in your garden bed, all you need to do is to use a rake to clear it away. Thank you for your question and great picture. THESE ARTICLES ARE GOING DIGITAL! DON'T MISS OUT! USE THE QR CODE, OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO: Email: info@sprigsandtwigs.net, or Mail: Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET CELEBRATING 28 YEARS ! Welcome to my weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Q : Hi Linda , I have this mushroom or fungus - type growth that looks like coral growing in the mulch under my hollies and rhododendrons . Is it harmful to my plants ? If so , is there any way to eradicate it short of digging out all the mulch ? - Denise A : Hi Denise , That is a wonderful photo of Crown - tipped Coral Fungus ( Artomyces pyxidatus or Clavicorona pyxidata ) . This is a very common and widespread coral fungus in eastern North America . The flesh of the Crown - tipped Coral Fungus is tough and pliable ; not brittle . It is saprobic , which means it obtains nutrients from rotting wood . It grows alone or in groups on dead , well- rotted wood of hardwoods , especially aspen , willow , maple , tulip tree and cottonwood during spring , summer and fall . It is not at all harmful to your plants . There must be a buried stump or root that the fungus is growing on . If you don't like the way it looks in your garden bed , all you need to do is to use a rake to clear it away . Thank you for your question and great picture . THESE ARTICLES ARE GOING DIGITAL ! DON'T MISS OUT ! USE THE QR CODE , OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO : Email : info@sprigsandtwigs.net , or Mail : Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET