PPFS-GEN-6: Mulch Mushrooms, Slime Mold, and other Saprophytes

Nikki Bell, Nicole Ward Gauthier, Cheryl Kaiser | Jun. 4, 2020 (Major Revision)

Organic mulches, such as shredded cypress and pine bark, are commonly used in commercial and home landscapes. Mulches provide numerous benefits, including conservation of soil moisture and suppression of weeds, as well as offer a visually pleasing background for landscape plantings. However, mulch is also a substrate for a diverse group of saprophytic organisms (saprobes), such as mushrooms and slime molds. While often causing alarm to gardeners unfamiliar with them, saprobes do not infect plants or cause plant diseases.