“ Can you use up them ? ” is the doubt I ’m inevitably ask when we find dense mat of mushroom growing up from ourwood chip mulchafter a good rain .
And while these ace seem quite flamboyant and fleshy , you ’d easily walk by them without a 2d glance .
Each mushroom-shaped cloud is no more than the size of a pinky nail , just a few millimeters extensive and marvelous . In their green state , the mushrooms are invisible nubs with spiky or fluted side , fully stick in to protect the “ ballock ” inside .
As they get on , the caps rupture to reveal a nest of eggs denotive of the mushrooms ’ rough-cut name : chick ’s nest fungi .
What is bird’s nest fungus?
Bird ’s nest fungus — the mushroom cloud — isnotthe same doll ’s nest in Chinese bird ’s nest soup ( which are actual birds ’ nest from the eatable - nest swiftlet and black - nest Collocalia inexpectata ) .
Bird ’s nest fungi are part of theNidulariaceaefamily of fungi , known for their stemless , rounded , hollow fruitbodies that resemble egg - filled birds ’ nest . They includeNidularia , Nidula , Mycocalia , Crucibulum , andCyathus .
The fungi that show up most ofttimes in my garden areCyathus striatus , which have flare , tan - colored cups ( called sporocarp ) holding flattened , sullen hoary “ bollock ” ( called periodoles ) that are shaped like Lens culinaris .
They are excellent decomposers and thrive in damp , woodsy environment , often appear inshady veggie gardensor woody mulch path . As long as the clime is moderate with intermittent rainwater , shuttle ’s nest fungi can circularize through any decaying constitutive topic they come in contact with .
Related : What IS That ? ! Dog Vomit Fungus : The Weird Slime Mold in Your Garden
You ’ll find groups of skirt ’s nest fungi in dead tree trunks , rotted timber , wood mulch , barque chip , sawdust , disintegrate vegetation , or humus - rich soil , specially in fall . You ’ll even see them start up in brute dung , as the periodoles can survive a journey through the digestive tract of cows and horses .
The life cycle of bird’s nest fungus
Bird ’s nest fungi are not only entrancing in show , but fascinating in their reproductive strategy . They breed through the “ testicle ” in their cups , but not in the style you might think .
Up close , the eggs are almost metallic looking , resemble glossy river stones . They ’re known as periodoles , and they serve as protective sack for the mushroom ’s spores .
When drop curtain of water from rain or irrigation land in the cups , they discharge the periodoles up to four invertebrate foot away — hopefully to hospitable terrain where they can procreate .
At the scale of several millimeters , even a unmarried raindrop can wield enough military force to launch the periodoles like a water system shank . This unique method of dispersal is why you ’ll sometimes try bird ’s nest fungi referred to as “ splash cup . ”
This is where it gets really interesting : Each periodole is connected to a funicular corduroy , essentially a long , hunky-dory thread with a muggy tail that unwindsseveral inch . Yes , inch . From that petite cupful !
As the periodole sails through the air , the cord may come in tangency with , say , a steel of grass or a sprig . It gets caught by its fag end and chop-chop wraps around the forage , much like a high - flying game of tetherball .
Here it remains until the periodole dry , then split up open to release the spores .
When the spores shoot , they grow into branching filaments called hypha . The mass of hypha ( called mycelium ) tissue through moist woody junk and consumes the Sir Henry Joseph Wood to fire its growth .
Bird ’s nest fungi are saprophytes ( microorganisms that live on all in constituent topic ) and this rude process is largely how woodwind decomposes .
When two different mating strains of mycelia fuse together , they imprint a new bird ’s nest fungus that takes nutrient from organic wasteland and violate it down speedily ( speeding up decomposition by two - congregation . ) This cycle ordinarily occurs between July and October .
Having bird ’s nest fungi in the garden makes it much easy and warm to clean up plant rubble , since they reduce declamatory chunks into shaving that finally decay and help enrich the land .
Is bird’s nest fungus edible?
At a duad of just a cm across , bird ’s nest fungi are considered inedible due to their flyspeck size , though no study has ever establish them to be vicious .
Harold J. Brodie , a Canadian mycologist who studied hiss ’s nest fungi extensively , concluded in his 1975 book , The Bird ’s Nest Fungi , that the mushrooms were “ not sufficiently enceinte , fleshy , or odorous to be of interest to human being as intellectual nourishment , ” though some mintage have been used by native peoples to stimulate richness .
The 1910 publicationMinnesota Plant Studiessuggests they are “ not edible owing to their leathery grain . ”
So we ’ll give this species a miss , as there are far more satisfying ( and delicious ) mushrooms you could harvest in the wild .
How do you get rid of bird’s nest fungus?
Of all the fungi present in a garden , skirt ’s nest fungus is one of the most good because of its natural composting power . It is n’t harmful to humans , dog , wildlife , or life plants , so control criterion are n’t necessary .
But if the “ eggs ” become a pain ( stupefy to surfaces like cars , house , or other structures where they ’re unmanageable to remove ) , you could diminish the opportunity of wench ’s nest fungi appearing in your railyard by crease the soil oft , fall irrigation in shady areas , and using living mulches andedible ground covers(instead of arborist Natalie Wood chips ) in your garden beds .
Fungicide should never be used , as it could interrupt the natural processes in your ecosystem .
View the Web Story onbird ’s nest fungus .
This post updated from an article that originally appeared on January 15 , 2015 .
