Fungi on a Maple Stump Mound: Nature's Recyclers

What You're Seeing

The "cat poop" globes—silver-dollar to dinner-plate size, brown-black outside, chocolate-brown spore dust inside—are the fruiting bodies (conks) of wood-decay fungi colonizing the buried maple stump.

No Danger to Living Plants

These fungi are saprotrophs; they digest dead wood only. They do not attack healthy roots of your English garden plants. The spores are ubiquitous and pose no health risk.

Best Action: Leave Them Alone

The fungi are accelerating stump decomposition, enriching your soil. Removing conks doesn't stop the underground mycelium. Enjoy the unusual display—it's a sign of a healthy soil food web.