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Powder Puff Fungus at Japanese Elm Base: Harmless Decomposer

Identification

Brown, bulbous growth at base releasing brown “smoke” (spores) when kicked = a puffball fungus (likely Lycoperdon or similar). A saprotroph decomposing organic matter, not a tree pathogen.

Verdict

No harm to the elm. No treatment needed. Simply a sign of healthy soil biology.

Plant Diseases: Japanese Maple Honeydew and Sooty Mold: Aphid or Scale Infestation; Sooty Mold and Whitefly on Mango: Diagnosis and Organic Management; Assessing Elm Bark Flaking After Vine Removal; Maple with Northern Tooth Fungus: Long-Term Decay, Plant a Successor; Pin Oak Sudden Leaf Browning: Drip Irrigation and Trunk Cracks; Elm Tree Losing Leaves with Larvae: Sawfly or Other Insect?; White Barnacle Spots on Weeping Elm: Need Photo for Accurate ID; Understanding Decay Fungus Fruiting Bodies on Oak Trees; Dutch Elm Disease Protection: Beetle-Vectored Fungus; Orange Fungus at Base of Japanese Maple: Mulch Decay, Not Tree Disease

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