These bright orange "roots" are growing inside my pile of mulch, not on the surface. They dry up and die on the surface and in the sun but have almost invaded the mulch and are spreading beyond it. There aren't any plants coming from them. Does anyone know what it is? Do I need to be concerned it will harm my gardens?
I first thought of dodder but I couldn't find any kinds that grow under the soil. Then I thought of orange slime molds but again could find none that were root like.
I did google a bit for it. Found a few similar photos of it growing in mulch but no one knew what each was.I think this guy had the same thing but no one knew what it was.
https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=548636
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisplant/comments/36xwm6/orange_stringy_roots_growing_under_mulch/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/57824974@N07/6038652662/
Looks like American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) I have 'Autumn Revolution' so it's not as bad a wild bittersweet. I dig these orange roots up all the time. They will be under the ground as far as 15 feet from the original plant. If you don't have one, most likely the bird ate the berries which come out in the fall. I will post an image here asap.
Thank you for replying. I know its neither of those because it doesn't have any plant life above ground. I know bittersweet and we have none i this area where I live. I'd recognize it if it were growing from the mulch pile. There's only these roots spreading throughout the pile. We've spread the mulch out thinly on large tarps in the sun. It dries the roots and kills them. We're hoping this will kill it all...but rain is coming...again!!
