Spring 2026

He’s a Real Fun Guy!

By Jackie Howland

Did you know that mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of some forms of fungi? If you did, great. But if that’s all you know about fungi, or if you cringe at these guys, especially the singular version, fungus, you might want to expand your appreciation for this fascinating kingdom of organisms. Aside from the delicious mushrooms, certain fungi also play a critical role in a healthy ecosystem, something we all need to be grateful for.

Before we do a deeper dive into this topic, here are a few facts to really put the fun in fungi:

· Fungi belong to their own separate kingdom, neither plant nor animal

· Fungi and animals shared a common ancestor some 1-1.2 billion years ago, making them closer to us than to plants

· A fossil of a gilled mushroom has been found that dates back to the cretaceous period; fossilized spores of much older fungi have also been found

· Scientists have mapped the underground part (the mycelium) of one type of mushroom in Oregon’s Blue Mountains and found that it measures almost four square miles

· Cows grow fungi in their stomachs to help them digest the grasses they eat, but then we have to ask, does this make them more or less gassy?

So let’s talk about that first bulleted item. Those of us who are a certain age, AKA old, were taught there were only two kingdoms. Living things were either plants or animals. To make it even more confusing, we find mushrooms in the grocery store in the produce area. Why aren’t they plants? It’s actually quite logical if we just think about it, again using the basic science that’s taught in public schools. We all learned that plants get their food through photosynthesis, although I don’t remember learning that fungi don’t do photosynthesis. Knowing these organisms don’t, though, makes it clear why they can’t be plants. And nobody would think of them as animals.

Fungi get energy from one of two sources, depending on the species. The mostly yucky kinds of fungi get their energy from living tissue, whether that’s plant or animal. The always beneficial kind gets its energy from breaking down dead vegetation or animal waste. These kinds of fungi recycle the waste into usable energy, and they make more than they can use, so plants benefit.

The story is even more complex and interesting than that, though. The underground part of mushrooms, the mycelium, are tiny threads that spread through the ground. Together they’re a mycorrhizal internet. The mycelium of some fungi that get their energy from living plants do so by boring into their roots and connecting them with other plants of the same species. Nutrients can then be shared by one plant with another. This is common with many species of trees, including Douglas firs and oaks, and contributes to greater health for the plants. The fungi benefits because the trees are a source of sugar – that’s what sap is, after all. It’s a symbiotic relationship and we all know that’s a good thing.

This network of tiny threads can also help prevent erosion by binding together decaying plant matter, which also helps retain moisture in the soil. And decaying plant matter also helps rainwater trickle down to the water table, renewing it and making more water available during dry seasons. So bottom line, most of the mycorrhizal internet is essential for plant health and by extension, the health of our ecosystem. FYI, chemical fertilizers tend to kill this web. That’s bad news for so many reasons, but especially because certain species of fungi store carbon. Fewer of these species means more carbon released into the atmosphere.

Now, as fascinating and admirable as some of us might find fungi, practically speaking, most people will probably be more interested in mushrooms, so let’s talk about those guys. We’re all familiar with the standard kind of mushrooms found in every grocery store, the ones often called button mushrooms. Don’t be fooled by the name Cremini – it’s just a brown version of the white button mushroom. And Portobello mushrooms are just fully mature versions of the button mushrooms. If you want to expand your experiences with other varieties of mushrooms found in grocery stores, you’ll either need to go for the dried versions or go to a higher end grocery store, especially those that specialize in organic produce and health foods. Here’s a picture of a variety pack I recently bought:

Of course, foraging for wild mushrooms is an option, but don’t do that unless you’re an expert. The name of one of the poisonous varieties says it all: death’s cap. The poisonous varieties can look very much like the non-poisonous ones, and they can even grow side

by side. Taste isn’t the deciding factor either. People who’ve consumed certain poisonous varieties tell us they’re quite delicious. And then they die. Don’t take a chance.

But there’s really no need to go into the woods for wild mushrooms now. You can find a big variety of fresh or dried mushrooms for sale on the internet. For even more fun, you can try mushroom growing kits that just need some space on a kitchen counter. I’ve grown oyster mushrooms this way and I can personally attest it’s really cool. You start with something that looks like a strange block of hard dried moss and sawdust, follow the directions, and within a few days tiny pins of mushrooms appear. 

There are other kinds of kits with other varieties of mushrooms, too, and even companies that specialize in providing these to consumers. If you’re really adventurous and want to go beyond the kitchen counter, you can find information and products to grow outdoor mushrooms. Since mushrooms not only have protein, but other essential nutrients, and they’re easy to grow without the fuss of other things you might try to grow in your garden, they’re definitely a must try item.

No matter what, though, I recommend paying more attention to the amazing, interesting, and often colorful and fantastic forms of mushrooms to be found in the woods and in our lawns. With an estimated 3000 species of mushrooms occurring in California alone, there’s a whole lot to appreciate!