About John Cash Expertise I can identify most cultivated ornamental plants both tropical plants and landscaping varieties depending on how much information I am given. I can also identify most native wild plants of the US at least to the Family and Genus. For the best chance of identification, I need pictures of leaves, stem, flowers, and fruit or seed. Send your pictures to john@arklatexwatergardens.com. I will answer your questions on AllExperts. Please make sure you size your pictures before you send them. Large pictures are VERY SLOW to download.
Experience I have been in the nursery/garden center business since 1976. I am an exotic plant collector and ornamental plant grower. I have studied plant identification all over the South East United States and in tropical Pacific coast Mexico.
Education/Credentials I have a B.S. Degree in Horticulture, a B.S. Degree in Botany with an emphasis on Taxonomy (plant identification) and a Master's degree in Floriculture (ornamental horticulture).
Expert: John Cash Date: 6/20/2007 Subject: im trying to identify a plant in my yard
Question I found a strange plant growingin the mulch in my front yard. I don't have a picture but it is orange and looks just like a carrot without leaves except it is soft and sponge like and the tip is brown and wet. Its a very strange looking plant and nobody can figure out what it is.
Answer Chelsea,
Sounds like a stinkhorn mushroom. It is a fairly common fungus that can pop up in a matter of hours in your flower beds. The "wet" portion at the top produces the spores of the mushroom. At some point it is usually very foul smelling and attracts flies that walk around in the spore containing slime and transfer it around the area. They are completely edible if you can get passed the smell.
