We Found Maine’s Nastiest Mushroom: The Stinkhorn, Growing in Our Front Yard

Some mushrooms are beautiful. Some are delicious. And then there's the stinkhorn. This guy is unpleasant, deadly smelling, and all together a no-go for mushrooms.  

If you've ever spotted one growing in your yard, your first thought is probably, "What on earth is that?" 

The Nastiest Mushroom Ever Grows in Maine

Stinkhorn mushrooms are among the strangest fungi you'll find in Maine. They typically pop up in mulch, wood chips, yards, or anywhere there's decaying organic matter, including old roots beneath the soil.

Check out this little humorous wildlife style short Instagram reel I made, highlighting ugly creature of the ground. 

According to Brooky Botanical Garden, it's the "nastiest mushroom ever." They also say,

"Unlike typical mushrooms, which depend on wind to distribute their spores, the stinkhorn uses insects. After sprouting from an egglike bulb, the orange or red stalks produce a slimy, carrion-scented spore coating near the tip. Flies are attracted to the scent, and after feeding on it, they fly off and dispense the spores wherever they land."

Ew.

They look gross, but actually do an important job by breaking down dead plant material and returning nutrients to the earth. 

What really makes a stinkhorn famous, though, is its smell. 

Lizzy Snyder/Canva Pro

Once it reaches maturity, the mushroom produces a slimy coating that smells remarkably like rotting meat or something that should have been taken to the curb on trash day.

The odor isn't an accident it's nature's clever strategy for attracting flies, beetles, and other insects.

So yes, if you see one covered in buzzing insects... that's exactly what it's supposed to be doing. 

The good news? Stinkhorn mushrooms aren't harmful to your lawn, and they usually disappear on their own after a day or two.

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If the smell is too much or you simply don't want them around, you can wear gloves, pull them up and throw them in the trash before they release more spores.

As bizarre as they are, stinkhorn mushrooms are a reminder that nature has a sense of humor.

They may not be the prettiest visitors to your yard, but they're fascinating little recyclers, just don't plan on stopping to smell them.