I have had this stuff. Doesn't always "wash" off easily or sometimes not at all. I agree with Arlyn and others to generally leave it alone. Most of those with it had been a long time in shipping and probably were not completely dry. Of course if it were completely dry the fans would be all shriveled as would the rhizome. Some did not grow the following spring, but I don't attribute that to the mold, but to the late planting with less than 6 weeks to first killing freeze, so roots had less time to take hold. None of the rhizomes became mushy.
