Fungus ID: Chicken of the Woods

Back in early July I was headed to work one day when I noticed this in a small planted area in Central Park. The environment is an isolated triangle of turf with a few oaks planted throughout it. This cool looking fungus, about 6" x 6" with amazing orange coloration, was pretty but I had no idea what it was, though it made perfect sense to be around given the super saturated June we had. I figured it had to be growing off of the roots of the oaks as the only other thing growing was the turf. You see, grass does best in a more bacteria-based soil while trees and shrubs prefer and have more symbiotic relationships with different kinds of fungus. So realizing my mycological skills are lacking I had to email my good friend and trusted mycologist Rachel and get her opinion. I gave her the basic rundown and luckily she was able to identify it, or at least we both think it's the best guess so far. Below is what Rachel had to say.
Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)
Single to overlapping clusters of fleshy, smooth, orange-red to orange-yellow caps with sulfur-yellow pores (not gills) beneath. Grows on stumps, trunks, and logs of deciduous and coniferous trees; also on living trees and buried roots.
(From Audubon Society Field Guide to Mushrooms)

That sound right? From where it's at it sounds like it could be feeding on some buried rotten roots. This website says that once you see these fungi on a tree, you can be pretty sure the game is over, which may be useful information for ya.

And bonus: it's supposedly deelish. Tastes like Chicken. I think for the most part you're safe with polypores, but everybody reacts to mushrooms differently. I'd hate to be responsible for liquifying your insides. A bit more info about edibility here.

Anyways, it's a cool mushie! I remember seeing a really big Chicken of the Woods at NEWFS in the garden. It was *bright* orange. Pretty beautiful stuff.

Thanks for a reason to break out the mushroom books!

Thank you Rachel!

Euonymus alatus: invasive bastard!

I love helping to educate people about various plants in the landscape so when people ask me to identify something I'm happy to. But in the fall there is one shrub that I inevitably get asked about a million times over and it makes my skin crawl. Can you tell me what that amazing bright red shrub is? I see it all over in public parks and shopping centers. The stems are corky and winged and I just love how vibrant it is this time of year!

Yes, I know the plant exactly. Oh yes, I'm sure I see the one you are looking at. Positive. It is called burning bush, botanically known as Euonymus alatus, and don't be fooled, it is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) is perhaps one of the best examples of one of the worst invasive shrubs in the northeastern United States. Originally chosen and planted in American gardens because of its brilliant red fall color, burning bush is an introduced species with no natural predators. Planted in suburban lots all over the northeast the seeds eventually spread, mostly via birds, into nearby woods and began to produce multiple seedlings. Now, from southern New Jersey to northern Massachusetts natural forests and woodlands are being disrupted and native species are losing the fight against this invasive shrub. Driving in the fall you might not think anything is wrong as you see patches of the bright red shrub amidst your local woods, but a trained horticulturist will be quick to tell you otherwise. Organizations devoted to restoring natural ecosystems and habitats can no longer attempt to eradicate the problem and the plant populations that have run rampant; the best we can do now is to control the infestations as best we can. Some states have made great strides to make invasive plants illegal to buy or sell, but I am sorry to say you can still find burning bush for sale in New York State. It makes me a crazy person. If you want to know more visit the New England Wild Flower website and their page on Euonymus alatus.

You can tell this is a topic I feel strongly about. When you realize you love a plant do the right thing and research it before you just go and buy it. Because a plant might have one or two interesting characteristics does not mean it is welcome in our local environment. And if you think you are exempt because you live in a city then try and tell me you don't have any birds, wind, water, or sewer system in your neighborhood, and I'll still tell you how you are single-handedly destroying our nature ecosystems. Don't be an ass. It all goes back to one basic people forget all too often, think before you act.

Arisaema triphyllum

(click on the above to see it much bigger, and please remember not to steal other people's photographs, thank you, -aef)

Arisaema triphyllum is commonly called Jack-in-the-pulpit. I found this picture last night which I took just two years ago when I lived up in Massachusetts. Jack-in-the-pulpit is a northeastern native perennial, a member of the Arum family, Araceae. If you are lucky, you find these little guys in natural woods with good high, dappled shade. Their flowers are undoubtedly bizarre, and pretty wild in their design. Most people can miss the flowers since they come out in early May, often under a trifoliate leaf that many mistake for poison ivy. Then later in the summer when the pollinated flowers mature to a cluster of bright orange-red berries, people can't believe their eyes. But don't touch the clusters of berries. Supposedly they can irritate the hell out of your skin.

After all the rain we got yesterday I bet the woods are very busy today.

On the stereo: Gillian Welch, Time (the Revelator)

Echinacea

I was digging through my photos trying to help my coworker put together the graphics for our latest mailer at work and I rediscovered these great shots of Echinacea from Garden in the Woods and Nasami Farm, both operated by The New England Wild Flower Society. Thought I would share them for a nice little visual on this gray Friday morning. Above is the straight species Echinacea purpurea, commonly called cone flower.
Then there are a lot of great new cultivars that growers are developing. Many still need to be tested for years to make sure they hold up as well as the original, in terms of size, durability, winter hardiness, etc. Above is an Echinacea called 'Sunrise' and below a beautiful reddish orange 'Sundown'.

Happy Friday y'all!

Rain Water Runoff

This is a tulip tree, a Liriodendron tulipifera. Not only do I love this tree because it is a northeast native, but look at how straight the trunk is for such a tall tree in the forest. Up in Massachusetts where this photograph was taken we used to corral kids and have them stand at the base and look up the tree to imagine and understand just how tall some trees can grow. This photo lives on our fridge and reminds me of the strength and resilience of the forest and the trees. I'd love to be walking around The Garden in the Woods today. Even in the pouring rain. Photo credit: Erin Backus, 2006.

But soon to work. (sigh). On the stereo "Close to Me" by The Cure, courtesy of Mr. Burns' extensive library of crucial 80's hits.