Yellow fungus - Ask Extension
This yellow fungus grows in shady areas, mainly in our mulched beds. The bright yellow will last for a day or two and then turn to brown for about a w...
Knowledgebase
Yellow fungus #907707
Asked June 29, 2025, 1:21 PM EDT
This yellow fungus grows in shady areas, mainly in our mulched beds. The bright yellow will last for a day or two and then turn to brown for about a week and then turn into a white mold. It does not appear to kill the plants that it grows on. I am curious to know if this Fungus is toxic in any way or if I should be concerned about it around my pets and children. Specifically chickens. Thank you.
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
This is a type of slime mold, which are very common and not a threat to the plants they crawl over. The visible patch of growth is the organism reproducing and creating spores, then dying back. We can't say if they are toxic to ingest (and there are several genera of slime molds), but if you think a child, pet, or chickens would try to eat it, then let the slime mold "bloom" run its course and then fade before letting them into that area.
Miri
Miri
