mushrooms

Fungus Schmungus #8

I found a bunch of these mushrooms near our yard under a large pine tree. They are called Chicken Fat Mushroom or Suillus Americanus. They always grow near an Eastern White Pine and nowhere else. They are a type of bolete mushroom which has pores on the underside of the cap rather than gills. Boletes… Read more »

Fungus Schmungus #6

I found three very colorful mushrooms. The violet ones are Reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucicum) and are also known as Lingzhi, Divine Mushroom, and “Mushroom of Immortality.” Reishi mushrooms are used in medicinal teas. I could not correctly indentify the green mushrooms or the odd bright yellow mushroom. The yellow mushroom was growing out of a… Read more »

Fungus Schmungus #4

I saw these mushrooms growing on a dead tree while walking the dog. They are called Dryad’s saddle or pheasant back mushrooms. They are edible. Here are two links to videos: Foraging for Dryad’s Saddle/Pheasant Back Mushroom How to cook Pheasant backs & Ramps (Dryads Saddle & Wild leeks)

Fungus Schmungus #1

Mushrooms fascinate me. I found these odd fellows growing in my flower beds. These are called stinkworts, and they do stink. When I dig in the wood mulch, I find white strings which are fungus mycelia. There is a more technical discussion of “fun guys” in garden mulch here.