mushrooms

A log with two fungii that look like two tiny bird's nests.

Fall Rains Bring Forest Mushrooms

by Deborah Zierten on

With all these wonderful rainy days the forests are probably bursting at the seams with mushrooms. Some mushrooms, like the bright scarlet waxy cap or the colorful coral fungus, immediately draw your attention as they poke up out of the …

Rain creates colorful mushroom show

by Emily Burns on

Aren’t we all more than a little relieved for the recent coast rains after too many dry, drought-stricken months here in California? I always look for mushrooms on the forest floor as proof that the rain has really sunk in. Last week …

Shaggy Mane Mushroom in a Forest Near You

by Emily Burns on

Finally, with the onset of rain, we have amazing mushrooms pushing up throughout the coast redwood forest. One of my favorites is the shaggy mane mushroom, Coprinus comatus. This is a gilled mushroom that emerges with a white scaly cap …

A log with two fungii that look like two tiny bird's nests.

Bird’s Nest Fungus in the Forest

by Deborah Zierten on

This fall and winter has definitely been a dry one for us here in California. One thing I’ve noticed is that with limited rainfall comes fewer mushrooms. I have always associated the rainy fall with prime mushroom time. I love …

Coral fungus in the redwood forest.

There’s More Than Meets the Eye to Forest Fungi

by Emily Burns on

Did you know that winter rains cause fungi to reproduce in the redwood forest?  Mushrooms are the most visible parts of the fungal body and grow up out of the soil so that the wind will disperse their spores.  When …