Yellow Update

A few days ago on August 9th, the story of the unusual growth in the forest was the topic for the day. My deductions led me to believe it was some kind of fungal growth from cursory smell, touch and observations.

Readers queried possible answers ranging from Sasquatch poop,  or alien invasions, to the tree weeping. I turned to Oregon Extension Agent specifically our local woman about the forest related issues, Amy Grotta, with the question and  this is what she suggested.

Hi Susan,

That looks like a slime mold to me. Some people call it “dog vomit fungus” – Google it and compare what you see. If that’s it, it’s harmless.

So I Googled the heck out of it and found that my growth fit the bill, errr mold (pardon the pun but I just had to do it).

PBS had an article about in 2013 titled The day ‘dog vomit’ slime mold invaded my front yard and if you want a humorous read then this link is a good one. I have an excerpt that explains the process.

…For more basics, I turned to Steven L. Stephenson, a research professor at the University of Arkansas and an expert on slime molds.

A slime mold, he explained, is a “fungus-like organism” that feeds on bacteria in decaying plant material. There are more than 900 species of slime molds, they are found on every continent, and they thrive in moist, shady places.

“A compost pile represents one of the best possible places to find them, and it is unlikely that one could find a compost pile without slime molds present,” he wrote in an email.

Slime mold spores germinate in the presence of water and a “suitable setting,” such as a pile of dead, decaying leaves to give rise to a single-celled organism. That organism goes on to divide, ultimately giving rise to a multi-celled mass of protoplasm that can grow and spread, like a sophisticated dance….

So there you have it, my tree is not weeping, under attack from extra-terrestrials or acting as a potty for Yeti, the dampness from the last several weeks of light showers have made a good environment for slime. Although it is still kind of yucky.