Artillery Fungus

There’s a fungus amungus!

All jokes aside - What are those black dots on your house? Where do they come from?

Artillery fungus, in short, is a type of fungi which is common on wood mulch all over the world. The spores are sticky and adhere to the side of houses and even cars.

Unfortunately, these dots aren’t easy to remove like algae. A regular house wash will sometimes remove the algae and lichen on the siding, but isn’t sufficient for removing the fungus which was already underneath. The easiest way to remove the Artillery Fungus is with a good, old fashioned scrub - usually the rough side of a sponge. It’s time consuming, but it’ll be worth it! (Note: scrubbing the siding can remove oxidation present on the surface.)

But how to I keep it from coming back?

This pesky fungus will keep returning unless the source is dealt with. Most likely, unless the home is very close to a wooded area, the source is bark mulch! Thankfully, there are a few possible replacements for the mulch around the house - most popular options are a synthetic rubber replacement. It comes in a variety of colors and lasts significantly longer than the real stuff. Alternatively, crushed stone is an attractive replacement!

Any artillery fungus on the house at time of removing the bark mulch can persist. It’s best to scrub it off as soon as possible!

Proudly written without AI