Earthstar Fungi: Should You Remove Them?

Understanding the Mushroom in Your Oak’s Shade

Earthstars are the fruiting bodies of a fungus that decomposes buried organic matter—often a dead tree root. The underground mycelium persists as long as the food source remains.

Management Reality

There’s no practical way to eliminate the fungus permanently without excavating the decaying root. The earthstars will appear periodically, then vanish once the root fully decomposes. They are harmless to living plants and can simply be left alone or raked up if unsightly.