Arterial Fungus On Siding

The fungi eject the sticky spore mass which can be blown by the wind as high as the second story of a house.

Arterial fungus on siding. We have not found a good efficient way to get them off without leaving a stain or damaging the siding especially on old dry siding. Its primary job is to decay dead wood. The spore masses of the artillery fungus stick like super glue. If the spores are fresh sometimes soap and water with a scrub brush will remove a bit of the fungus.

Power washing may work on brand new only vinyl siding that still has a shiny oily sheen. Artillery fungus is a common fungus in north america. The artillery fungus or shotgun fungus is a wood decay fungus that likes to live on moist landscape mulch. Artillery fungus orients itself toward bright objects such as light colored siding windows or shiny automobiles parked nearby.

There is no recommended artillery fungus treatment. As you have discovered the spore mass is difficult to remove without damaging the surface. These sticky black dots cling to vinyl siding like glue. You can power wash them off of vinyl siding but such methods can be damaging to cars and wood siding.

There is no fungicide registered as an artillery fungus treatment. When it is time for it to reproduce the fungus lives up to its name and shoots tiny spores in all directions. In home gardens it often takes up residence in wood mulch.