MONSTER MUSHROOMS above ground-down-below-ground tree-trunk

[norminn]

Forgot to paste in this link:

[Nelly]

When I did nature photography in Florida, I once found a huge fungus similar to yours...the only day I was ever out without my camera...that looked like a giant carnation. About two feet across, light peachy/pink color, growing on a fallen live-oak log. There were lots of interesting fungi (and spider webs) in the woods, and mushrooms seemed to be a favorite food of squirrels and mice. ==== That would definitely describe a well-aged Laetiporus, in case you wanted to know. (I don't mind sharing knowledge with people who don't insist on it only being from males.)

[norminn]

Thanks for that - I looked up "Laetiporus" in google images and found quite a few. I'd love to be able to grow stuff like that - just started some basil and chives from seed in potting soil...got a lot of tiny mushrooms that pop up and then disappear. Would have tried planting morel spores in the same soil if I could have found morels; no luck. How did you happen to know the name of what I described?

[Nelly]

Thanks for that - I looked up "Laetiporus" in google images and found quite a few. I'd love to be able to grow stuff like that - just started some basil and chives from seed in potting soil...got a lot of tiny mushrooms that pop up and then disappear. Would have tried planting morel spores in the same soil if I could have found morels; no luck. How did you happen to know the name of what I described? ==== Same reason I know what the OP has. I've been doing this for over 20 years.

[Nelly]

Thanks for that - I looked up "Laetiporus" in google images and found quite a few. I'd love to be able to grow stuff like that - just started some basil and chives from seed in potting soil...got a lot of tiny mushrooms that pop up and then disappear. Would have tried planting morel spores in the same soil if I could have found morels; no luck. How did you happen to know the name of what I described? ==== Same reason I know what the OP has. I've been doing this for over 20 years.

-Besides realizing how curt that might've sounded, I wanted to add that growing mushrooms isn't quite as simple as spreading spores around. In the case of wood-rotters such as Laetiporus, by the time a tree is dead it's already been colonized by something else. I have OTOH grown oysters (Ostreatus, another wood eater), simply by bringing an already-fruiting log home & keeping it damp. If you happen to find a Laetiporus nearby, it's quite possible that could work too (I have no experience here).

[David Combs]

Hey, did anyone look at the PICTURES I uploaded to

PLEASE DO -- and tell me what you think, etc.

Thanks!!!

David

[David Combs]

I merely repost this as followup, with MY PHOTOS in the title.

David

[A. Baum]

Remind me a bit of shelf mushrooms of hen of the woods.

But don't take my word for it and eat them.

[DanG]

I merely repost this as followup, with MY PHOTOS in the title.

David

[David Combs]

What kind is it?

Is it one of those super delicious ones to eat?

Or poison?

(And if they're for eating, how to cook them?)

What else do I need to know?

I don't know. Some of you guys seem to be real experts. So whatever you think I should know, well, please tell me.

THANKS SO MUCH!

David

[David Combs]

Thank you!

Now I wait to see what others say -- see if there's a concensus.

And, if I *really* want to be sure, is there some site I should send the pictures to, or call on the phone?

Thanks!

David

[Hell Toupee]

Yeah, dumbass. Instead of risking your life on the opinion of unknown non-experts on usenet, take one of them to your local university's plant pathology department. They'll have a mycologist on staff who can provide you with expert identification.

[Nelly]

Thank you!

Now I wait to see what others say --see if there's a concensus.

And, if I *really* want to be sure, is there some site I should send the pictures to, or call on the phone? =====

You seemed to preclude any women from telling you what they are by asking "So, what do YOU GUYS think?" Looks to me as if you've been around Usenet more than long enough to know that using all caps is shouting, so there was really only one way for me to read that.

However, I see I will have to tell you so you'll quit asking.

In file 2987, I see some black staining. This indicates Meripilus.

Grifola (hen-of-the-woods) wasn't too far off, being also a polypore with a compound fruiting body. But if prefers growing at the base of old oaks, has smaller, thinner & (usually) browner individual caps, and does no stain black.

You know, you could've quickly found this out by asking in alt.nature.mushrooms. Still a couple of very knowledgable people there.