The mushroom that grows so fast you can hear it crackling

Food & Drink · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Most fungi grow silently, but the Phallaceae family performs a rapid, audible transformation. Emerging from egg-like structures, these stinkhorns can expand by 5 mm per minute, using a process akin to cellular origami to swell through water absorption. This sudden eruption is accompanied by a scent designed to mimic decay.

The Phallaceae family, commonly known as stinkhorns, relies on olfactory mimicry to ensure survival. To disperse their spores, they produce a foul-smelling, sticky mass called a gleba. This substance often emits odors of carrion or dung—utilizing compounds like dimethyl oligosulfides, phenol, indole, and p-cresol—to lure flies and beetles toward the fruiting body.

The development of a stinkhorn is a dramatic event. They begin as oval or round structures called "eggs," protected by a multi-layered peridium. Once the internal pressure builds, the gleba can erupt from the egg and burst open within a single hour. This rapid expansion is driven by osmotic pressure, regulated by high concentrations of potassium within the stalk, or carpophore.

While many associate them with rot, they offer surprising culinary and medicinal potential. At the egg stage, before the odor becomes overwhelming, the inner layer of the peridium is edible, possessing a crisp, radish-like flavor. Furthermore, research suggests these mushrooms contain pharmaceutical compounds that show potential for cancer treatment. While the family is diverse, with 21 genera and 77 species as of a 2008 estimate, their core mechanism remains a masterclass in biological deception.

The complexity of their chemistry is evident in their life cycle. A young stinkhorn has relatively low volatile levels, but a mature specimen can contain over 22 volatile compounds. By the time a specimen is over-ripe, that number can climb to 41, though the scent may diminish if insects have already dispersed the spore-laden slime.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The common stinkhorn is a foul-smelling fungus that can punch through solid asphalt.
• This macabre mushroom mimics the scent of rotting meat to trick passing flies
• Beyond the kitchen, oyster mushrooms are carnivorous predators and environmental cleanup crews.
• The straw mushroom is a culinary staple that hides a dangerous lookalike in nature.
• The mushroom that transforms into a lobster through fungal parasitism
• Is the chicken-of-the-woods actually a lobster in disguise?
• The subterranean fungi which surpassed gold in market price
• The invisible fungi that helped build human civilization
• Why the subterranean truffle is considered the diamond of the kitchen
• The $330,000 Fungus: Why Most Truffle Oil is a Culinary Lie
• Why this underground fungus is called the diamond of the kitchen
• From Supermarket Staples to $1,000 Delicacies: A Fungi Guide

More in Mushrooms & truffles · More in Food & Drink · Latest · A–Z · All topics