Garden Pic Wednesday: Stinkhorn Fungus & Alyssum

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Last week, one winter day when was warmish and muggy after a rain, I found this "Stinkhorn" Fungus in my flower bed that's along the walkway to the front door. 
Also known as Column Stinkhorn or more amusingly, as "Dead Man's Fingers."
Stinkhorns have emit a smelly odor to attract flies and so on, who then brush against spores and carry them off--that's how it reproduces. 
They are quite unique---though I don't put my nose up close!


 

Last week we had our first hard freeze--everything except this Alyssum and the Broccoli in my raised garden got freeze-fried. 
I was out of town right then, so unfortunately I wasn't able to cover my Salvia or anything. But amazingly, this Alyssum carries on!


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