They're slimy and sticky, they pop up from hideous, slime filled alien-like underground eggs, they make children scream and old men blush, but most of all, they smell really bad. If they pop up in your yard, you will most likely smell them before you see them.
Those who named this genus thought the obvious. Scientific titles for the Stinkhorn roll off the tongue like Italian porn star screen names: Phallus impudicus, Phallus indusiatus, Phallus ravenilii, and Phallus hadriani. They are quite aptly named, but in an eerily crypt-like, horror film at Halloween kind of way. You won't want to be keeping this one around, not because you can't eat it, since in fact, certain kinds of Stinkhorn have been a staple food for centuries in China (apparently people even dig up the alien-like egg pods and eat them, too, after draining the slime from their inner chambers), and not because it will have the kids whispering and laughing about the sexuality of the undead zombie community loitering just below the surface of your backyard. No, you want to get rid of the Stinkhorn because they have a strong, pungent smell not pleasant to most humans. Flies love them. But keep your nose plugged because the stinky Stinkhorn becomes a sticky, slimy mess if you accidentally touch it with your bare hands, or if you squeeze it or step on it with your bare feet.
At the Mushroom Expert web site, there is a photo page called the Stinkhorn Hall of Fame. Prepare yourself. Make sure the kids are watching South Park or something, because these mushroom photos must have been intended for mature audiences only.
The best thing to do is find them before they pop out of their underground egg pods. They are just below the surface and begin to bulge the earth around them when the mushroom is about to appear. Dig around them with a small shovel, or better yet, a nice small pitch fork so you can disturb the growth without digging a hole in your lawn or flower bed. To dispose of them without smelling up your garbage can, put them in a zip lock plastic bag, then seal them tightly before disposal.
We do not recommend harvesting the local Stinkhorn mushrooms you find in your back yard for food.
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