A Few Mushrooms That I’d Rather Not Have In My Yard

AmanitaA few weeks ago, we had a beautiful flush of meaty looking mushrooms. Then again this week, we had a second flush. I thought it was interesting since, I have been trying to grow my own mushrooms this year.

I bought plug spawn from fungi perfecti for three varieties. I bought, Shiitake, Chicken of the Woods and Elm Oyster. I plugged numerous logs and grew out some spawn in a mix of sawdust in mason jars. The plugged logs likely wont produce mushrooms until next year. The spawn in the quart jars should be able to produce mushrooms much sooner.

My interests in growing mushrooms resulted in several field guides being checked out of the library. I have paid special attention to the poisonous mushrooms. There are quite a few mushrooms that are known to be poisonous, but one stands out as being just plain deadly. Not all members of Amanita are poisonous, but certainly enough to be very cautious.

Unfortunately for me, the mushrooms growing so well beneath our ornamental grass look very similar to an Amanita affectionately known as “destroying angel”. Yeah, not really one I want flourishing.