Looking for gourmet cultures, spores, or supplies? If you think we should mention any other ID subreddits here please let us know. Fungi are our friends!Īll ID requests will be deleted, so please route them to other communities like r/mycology, r/MushroomID, or r/WhatIsThisMushroom. This growing-focused community doesn't emphasize any particular type of fungi or growing technique, so everyone is welcome as long as they are being excellent to each other. You may want to start a collection of mushroom spore prints, and might even decide to become a Mycologist, a scientist who studies mushrooms and other fungi.R/MushroomGrowers is a supportive community of amateurs and professionals from around the world collaborating on mushroom cultivation. If you are able to identify your mushroom, then write its common name and its scientific name on the paper too.
You might want to attach a photograph or drawing, and any other information about color changes when cut, texture, shape, etc. On the sheet of paper, write the date and location where the mushroom was collected. Don't hold the spray can too close, as that will blow away many of the spores, and form drips that will mess up your spore print. This spray is often used to protect art projects. You can preserve your spore print by very gently spraying it with a clear, acrylic spray. This one had spores that were a very nice green color. Underneath, you should find a spore print in the shape of the mushroom, usually showing the pattern of the gills.ĭifferent mushrooms form different colored spores. Very carefully, lift the mushroom off of the paper, being sure not to let it shift or slide. As the mushroom sits there, it releases spores, which fall onto the paper.īy the following morning, you will probably be able to see a dusting of spores on the paper at the edge of the mushroom. The spores are so small that even a gentle breeze can carry them away, so if you have a fan or air vent nearby, you should cover the mushrooms with a bowl or a box. Put them in a place where they will not be disturbed, and let them sit overnight. Place the mushrooms with the gill side down on the sheets of paper. Not all mushrooms have dramatic color changes, so if you are using a Portabella, you will probably not see much at first, but it will slowly darken.
That color change is another useful trait that can help you identify mushrooms. This mushroom was white when it was first cut, but within seconds the cut changed to a dark, rusty red. Many mushrooms will change color when they are cut or broken. You want the mushroom to lie flat on the paper, so use scissors or a sharp knife to remove the stem. If the spores are dark, then the white paper will make them easy to see. If the mushroom has white spores, they will be hard to see on the white paper, but will stand out on the black paper. Why? Some mushrooms have white spores, while others have dark colored spores, so for each kind of mushroom, we will put one on white paper and the other on black paper. If possible, collect two specimens of each type of mushroom. Some have pores or other openings, but they can still produce spore prints. Each tiny spore is capable of growing into a new mushroom. The difference is that mushroom spores are very tiny (You usually need a microscope to see an individual spore.), they don't contain the stored food that seeds have, and they don't have to be pollinated. OK, so what are spores? Spores do much the same job for mushrooms that seeds do for flowering plants. The gills are where the spores are produced. No, they are not used for breathing like the gills of a fish, but they have a similar shape. Looking at the underside of the mushroom, you may see many thin ridges and grooves radiating from the center. That is what the button mushrooms would look like if they grew and matured. Instead, look for the pancake shaped Portabella mushrooms.
You don't want the small, white, button mushrooms. If you don't have any mushrooms growing around your house, you can usually buy them at your local grocery store. They need to be mature, which means that they have opened fully, often into the shape of an open umbrella.