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Slime Mold on Wood: A Fascinating, Harmless Organism

The bright growth on your deck banister is a myxomycete (slime mold)—a single giant cell with thousands of nuclei, formed when individual cells fuse. It feeds on decaying organic matter, eventually dries, and releases spores to colonize new damp surfaces. It's not a true fungus and causes no harm.

About Gardening: Black Slime Mold Identification: A Call for Photo Submission; Mystery Black Globes in Alaska: Slime Mold ID Requires Microscopy; New Sago Palm Has Green Trunk Buildup and Crispy New Fronds — Algae, Not Mold; Slime Mold in Mulch: Harmless but Messy—How to Manage It; Slime Mold on Carnivorous Plant Soil: Harmless but Manageable; Slime Mold in Flower Beds: Dry Conditions, Lava Rock Mulch; Slime Mold on Lawn: Harmless but Unsightly—What to Do; Wolf's Milk Slime Mold: Harmless Mulch Fungus; Slime Mold on Lawn: Harmless Black Dust That Washes Away; Slime Mold in Mulch: Weird but Harmless

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