Scaredy-shroom

Scaredy-shroom is a long-range mushroom similar to the Peashooter, only more cost effective. It is intended to be used during the night levels as an early defense. It is unique in that it hides when zombies get too close to it.

Suburban Almanac Entry
Scaredy-shroom 

Scaredy-shrooms are long-ranged shooters that hide when enemies get near them.

Damage: normal

Special: stops shooting when enemy is close

Sleeps during the day

"Who's there?" whispers Scaredy-shroom, voice barely audible. "Go away. I don't want to see anybody. Unless it's the man from the circus."

Cost: 25

Recharge: fast

Usage
Scaredy-shrooms are really useful for early defenses, as a side option from the Puff-shroom. As they only cost 25 sun, they can be planted rather early, giving you coverage in a whole lane; its long range will be able to kill an incoming zombie and give you enough protection to keep planting Sun-shrooms or Sunflowers. However, if you use it on a day level, it will cost 100 sun, due to 75 additional sun requirement for a Coffee Bean.

Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:


 * It is the only long-ranged mushroom.
 * It is a very cheap plant.
 * It can be used as an early defense.

Disadvantages:


 * It hides when the zombies get close to it.


 * During Day levels it takes up two slots, one for itself and one for the Coffee Bean.


 * Its spores can't be set on fire.

Strategy
Scaredy-shrooms are helpful due to their low cost, high range and fast recharge time. Some people will be put off due to its rather set-backing ability to stop shooting when an enemy gets within a square of them in any direction, leaving it vulnerable to be eaten; However, they work best if they are planted behind other mushrooms or planted on the far left of your lanes - even behind Sun-shrooms. Just remember to not neglect the nearby lanes, seeing as they hide if a zombie gets close in any of the adjacent lanes. One Scaredy-shroom will be enough to kill a zombie or Conehead Zombie if planted on the far left, which is really amazing for a plant that only costs 25 sun. They are also very good along a Wall-nut and Tall-nut.

Notes: Don't bother with Scaredy-shrooms at all during the day, as Peashooters cost exactly the same (when you count the Coffee Bean), only take one seed slot, don't hide when enemies get close, and their peas can be set on fire. Also with Imitaters, use Puff-shrooms instead.

Trivia

 * The Scaredy-shroom is the only long-ranged spore-shooting mushroom in the game.
 * Digger Zombies and Balloon Zombies can scare them underground and in the air, respectively, despite their inability to eat the Scaredy-shroom.
 * The Scaredy-shroom sweats and cries when it hides.
 * In the DS version when the Scaredy-shroom is sleeping, its eyes are open. The other one that sleeps with its eyes open is Magnet-shroom.
 * Scaredy-shroom is the only plant that hides.
 * Scaredy-shroom123.jpg is the only mushroom that cries. However, it is not the only plant that cries. Other plants that cry are Tall-nut and Garlic.
 * This is the cheapest long-range plant, due to it having a bad ability.
 * It can be eaten in a normal rate when it hides, making it having a near-useless ability.
 * When on a Lily Pad, it will hide in the Lily Pad, even when it's not connected to any ground.
 * The Scaredy-shroom will still get scared of zombies in the lane above or below it when near it.
 * Scaredy-shroom's eyes get about 4-5 times larger when scared.
 * In the Apple Phone versions, the Scaredy-shroom blinks its eyes when it's hiding.