Sunday, December 26, 2010

Comments during tree decorations

- I bet our tree is the only one in New Jersey with mushrooms on it, says daughter.
- Mom, how can mushrooms grow straight out of branches, says son.
- Because they are endophytic and can grow inside the branches until the fruiting body comes out, says the botanical mom.

(Of course the red and white fly agaric never grows endophytically, only in the soil, but who cares? It is Christmas! And Swedes love to decorate with replicas of poisonous mushroom at Christmas time, :). )

2 comments:

Sarah said...

Very nice!
I bought a mushroom ornament this year, but it's in Oregon, not New Jersey (so maybe she is right.)

LS said...

Hi Sarah,

So is your ornament in red and white too? Or a boletus or chanterelle? :)