Fungus – Appearing In The Driveway

Q: My neighbor has earthstar fungus pushing up her driveway asphalt. Is there any to get rid of it?

A: Like other mushrooms, earthstar fungi are saprophytic. This means they decompose organic matter in the soil using long thread-like strands. When conditions are right the strands form a mushroom that extends upward to disperse spores. Woodland mushrooms are a common example. Earthstar mushrooms are distinctively shaped, resembling an egg with petals that unfurl outwards. The ones under your neighbor’s drive will continue to occur as long as tree roots or other woody material remains under the driveway. When they are decomposed, I’d expect the earthstars to disappear.