Q and A: I noticed mushrooms growing under my oak tree. They barely make it out of the ground and never get too big. In the end, they break open and expel a lot of black dust. What are they and will they hurt my tree?

From David, Lehigh Acres Answer: This is a species of Scleroderma. These are ectomycorrhizal fungi that form symbiotic relationships with some tree, particularly pines and oaks here in Florida, but also some other species (for example, ... READ MORE