Russula Mushrooms

We have had a lot of rain lately in mid-State South Carolina due to Tropical Storm Arthur. Due to this extra rain, mushrooms have been popping up everywhere. Fungi require a lot of moisture which is why you tend to see them after a good rainstorm. Today, Locryn found a beautiful Russula mushroom! It was the perfect opportunity for a ‘Locryn Biology Lesson’ and a chance to reiterate that we do not eat mushrooms in the garden unless our parents tell us they are safe. With all our potted herbs and plants, I feel I must emphasize often to him which ones are safe to eat and which ones are not.

There are over 750 species of Russula mushrooms worldwide. Some are edible and some are not. I will fully admit that my current mushroom identification skills are not fine tuned enough to feel safe selecting an edible one.

Locryn and I discussed the benefits that mushrooms bring to the ecosystem. They help decompose garden organics (dead leaves, wood chips, mulch, etc) into usable food for nearby plants.

ENJOY!