A walk through Culbin in late Summer or early Autumn, especially after a warm rain shower, reveals a profusion of fungi of different shapes, sizes and colour.
The purpose of these extraordinary structures is to produce and release the fungal equivalent of plant seed: spores.
For many of us, the only time we see fungi is when they fruit. We tend to call these fruits mushrooms, although some call those that are poisonous or inedible toadstools. In fact, most fungi are actually present throughout the year, active below the ground. There they exist as many tiny threads called hyphae.
Despite their fine structure, fungi can grow into huge below-ground colonies; in fact, the largest organism on earth is a fungus, a single individual that produces many mushrooms every year.
Vital fungi
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| Shaggy ink cap fungus |
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Fungi are vital to the existence of Culbin’s forest. For example, you might think the trees take their nutrients directly from the soil through their roots – this is not quite true. The roots of Culbin’s trees are packed full of, and surrounded by, a rich community of fungi, and it is these fungi that are responsible for providing them with the vital nutrients they require to grow.
There are, however, few free gifts in nature and the trees repay their debt by providing the fungi with rich supplies of sugar for their own growth. This type of mutually beneficial relationship between a tree and a fungus is called a mycorrhiza – Culbin’s forest simply wouldn’t be here without them.
Many of the fungi that grow in this way with trees also produce a fascinating array of mushrooms and toadstools; this is why Culbin is such a special place to see these colourful ‘fruits’.
Other fungi live in Culbin’s soil but are never seen because they don’t produce mushrooms - some are mycorrhizas, but many more live freely in the soil and play an important role in turning the fallen leaves and needles back into soil.
How can I find out more?
Many people are rightly concerned about poisonous fungi, but a fungus foray doesn’t have to mean picking or even touching them - taking photos can be just as rewarding.
Learning to read the hidden messages of fungi is a great activity for adding value to a walk. Ask yourself:
- What colour is it?
- Does it have any markings?
- Does it have gills (long ridges) or pores (little holes) underneath its cap?
- Does it smell of anything?
- How tall is it?
- Is it growing straight out of the ground or out of a log?
- What type of tree is it growing with?
All these questions will help build up a picture of the fungus you have found, which you can then look up in a suitable guide to narrow down the identification.
A pocket guide and a magnifying glass are useful tools, as is a knife if you do wish to gather them - cutting fungi intact rather than pulling them leaves their root-like hyphae in the ground. It is important to collect the base of the mushroom as it can have features to help you identify your fungus.
Unexpected locations
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| Fly agaric (Amanita Muscaria) |
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You’re likely to find many different fungi at Culbin and locating them accurately is almost impossible as they tend to pop up in unexpected places from year to year. But if you look hard you’re may find some or all of these:
- fly agaric
- blusher
- blackening wax-cap
- saffron milk-cap
- sickener
- cep or penny bun
- winecork brittlegill or the flirt
- shaggy inkcap
- pine bolete
- chanterelle.
Be warned - these names are no indication of edibility!
If you would like to find out more about Culbin’s fungi, please come along to one of our Fungi Forays held towards the end of the summer.
Follow the rules for collecting fungi
Culbin is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and so gathering fungi to eat should only be done in very small quantities, if at all. You must also be absolutely sure that the species you are gathering is edible. These are the basic rules for fungi collecting within Culbin:
- No commercial collecting
- Obey any warning signs
- Never remove all the fungi in one area
- Scatter any trimmings discreetly in the same area the mushroom came from
- 1.5kg personal limit
- If you don’t know what it is, it may be rare or poisonous – leave it alone.
Read more about Wild Mushroom Code (link to a PDF on another website).
Back to Culbin's plants and wildlife.
