Nature is full of mysteries and mushrooms are no different. Here are the weirdest mushroom facts in history that will creep you out in seconds.
Facts about Mushrooms
Before we get to know the weird side of mushrooms, let’s see a few health facts about mushrooms.
Mushrooms are really good for heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s because they are rich in antioxidants, proteins, fiber, and is of low calories. Consuming mushrooms that are not produced from reliable sources can be fatal because wild mushrooms contain heavy metals and other harmful chemicals.
What Is the Ugliest Mushroom?
- A. Stinkhorns
- B. Milk caps
- C. Pinkgills
- D. None of the Above
Interesting Facts about Mushrooms
There are only 10,000 named species of mushrooms in the world but do you know that scientists believe that is only a fraction of what’s really out there? Out of the 10,000, over 70 are poisonous in nature and over 2000 are edible for humans.
The yartsa gunbu is the most expensive mushroom in the world because it grows only in a particular area in China. It is famously known as the ‘Viagra of the Himalayas’ and looks like a caterpillar. It is used in medicine to increase energy and as an aphrodisiac.
The button mushroom is the most common type of edible mushroom and is consumed widely across the world.
Interesting Mushrooms
Let’s talk about shapes. Though the normal shape for mushrooms resembles an umbrella there are various other shapes and textures that will creep out even the strongest of the strongest.
Octopus Stinkhorn
True to its name, the pink mushroom with cherry red tentacles oozing jet black goo is a sight to behold. The creepier part is, they hatch out of mushroom eggs! Yes, you read it right, stinkhorns grow among wooden mulch and leaf litter.
The eggs smell like rotten flesh when they hatch. The adults lay these eggs by ejecting them through their tentacles into the air.
Lion’s Mane
More like mop head mushroom. They grow from a single stem around trees in North America, Asia, and Europe. These stringy mushrooms are good for dementia, anxiety, and depression.
Milk caps
There are around 600 varieties of milkcap mushrooms. They come in various shapes and sizes but have one common thing which is, they all produce a milk-like substance when cut. The ugliest mushroom is part of the milkcap family.
The Largest Mushroom in the World
Armillaria ostoyae, a mushroom that covers more than 2000 acres of the Blue Mountain in Oregan is not only the largest mushroom but also the largest organism in the world.
For the naked eye, the mushroom is just a regular fungus that grows on trees but scientists have found that the entire colony of mushrooms in the Blue Mountain comes from a single parent stem.
Fun Mushrooms
Some mushrooms taste sweet, sour, spicy, bland, or even enhance the taste of the food they are added to. Some mushrooms can give you an allergy to touch or consumption. The poisonous varieties can cause liver failure, respiratory problems, food poisoning, or even death. Some mushrooms can make you high! They make you feel relaxed, calm, and under control but continuous consumption will result in hallucinations, anxiety, and paranoia.
Weird Mushrooms Facts
Their DNAs match humans more than plant DNAs. Mushrooms produce Vitamin D under UV rays but they can grow without sunlight. Do you know that before trees,, it was giant mushrooms that covered the earth? Mushrooms can be grown on any type of green waste under precise conditions.