Something growing on our plants, Fungus maybe ...

Curios and my googling led to something called slime mold. Not quite but related to fungus.

They look like outdoor plants, so...

Our local cooperative extension mentioned that the abundance of mushrooms in our area, due to all the rain we've had over the summer, is actually a good thing. It shows that our environment is thriving.

I have many different types growing in my lawn and mulched areas. They are even poking up in some areas that have thick ground cover.

I would send those pics to your local cooperative extension or take them to a decent, independent garden center and see what they say. (Not HD or Lowes, etc.)

It looks like a mushroom to me, or related fungus.

I don't know about retrieving water. I'd be more worried about body snatching.

... "cooperative extension" ?

What is that ? Does every city/village/'berg have one ?

Thanks

This might help. I think they're limited to one office per county.

Where are you?

Illinois

I'm sure the U of Illinois has an extension service. All the land grant universities do afaik, certainly the big ones. I think they were originally set up for farmers but they take calls from small homeowners too. They usually have a phone number and are good at answering the phone, but in this case, I guess they have to see the picture.

Try these folks...

Someone posted back on Next-Door app and provided the answer:

Sarah Meisch-Sommer It is called a flowerpot parasol. It is a fungus.

From "kingfishermushrooms"

Thanks for getting back to us, and with a picture too.

Mildly poisonous! That's bad but -- I haven't read the link yet -- did the page say if it snatched your body while you are sleeping? It looks like it would.