Stinkhorn.

At a glance

Plant type

Fungi

Light

Shade

Indoor light

low

Water

Every 1 to 3 days

Mature size

10 to 30 cm

Growth rate

fast

Hardiness

USDA 3 to 10

Bloom time

Summer to autumn

Care

Stinkhorns are not typically cultivated and appear spontaneously in nutrient-rich soil or mulch. If you find them, they are harmless to your garden, though you can manually remove the egg stage if the smell is bothersome. They do not require any human intervention to thrive.

Watering

They thrive in consistently moist conditions.

Feeding

They do not require fertilizer as they feed on decaying organic matter.

Pruning

Pruning is not applicable.

Repotting

These are not container plants.

Soil

Rich, organic mulch or decaying wood

Soil pH

Neutral to slightly acidic

Temperature

10 to 30°C

Humidity

60 to 90%

Safety

People

While some species are consumed in their immature egg stage in certain cultures, they are generally not recommended for eating due to significant risks.

Children

Keep small children away from these fungi because they are often mistaken for food and can be harmful if ingested.

Contact allergens

Touching the slimy gleba can leave a persistent, unpleasant odor on your skin.

Airborne allergens

The intense smell can be overwhelming to sensitive individuals but is not typically considered an allergen.

Edibility

Many stinkhorn species are considered inedible or potentially toxic, and they should never be consumed due to the risk of misidentification.

How to identify it

• Gelatinous egg-like base
• Pungent, carrion-like odor
• Spore-bearing slime cap
• Rapid, explosive growth

Height

0.05 to 0.3m

Spread

0.02 to 0.1m

Flowers

brown, olive, 2 to 5cm

Common problems

• Rapid decay — The fruiting bodies appear and disappear very quickly, often within a day or two.

Growing it

Propagation

spores

Leave them be, as they are simply doing their job of turning dead plant material into healthy soil.

Grows well with

• Wood mulch — They thrive in areas with rich, decomposing wood chips.

Keep away from

• Fungicides — Chemical treatments will kill the beneficial fungal network in your soil.

Similar species

• Common Stinkhorn — It is the most recognizable member of the family with a similar structure.
• Dog Stinkhorn — This species is smaller and lacks the distinct cap found on other stinkhorns.

Science

Family

Phallaceae

Order

Phallales

Class

Agaricomycetes

Native range

Found globally in temperate and tropical regions.

Conservation

These fungi are common decomposers and are not of conservation concern.

They survive by breaking down organic matter in soil and mulch, acting as essential decomposers in the ecosystem.

Value to wildlife

spore dispersal

Pollinators

beetles

Uses

ecological decomposition, nutrient cycling

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Why do they smell so bad?

The smell attracts insects that land on the slime and carry away the spores.

Can I get rid of them in my garden?

You can remove the egg stage before they sprout, but they are beneficial decomposers.

Where the name comes from

The name Phallaceae comes from the Greek word phallos, referring to the phallic shape of the mature fruiting bodies.

Good to know

• They are commonly known as stinkhorns because of their pungent smell.
• The spores are contained in a sticky, foul smelling slime called the gleba.
• They grow from a structure that looks like a white egg buried in the soil.
• Some species can grow several inches in just a few hours.