Our first Fungus here today from Liz Siivola, looks like a brain growing on a tree and when she spotted it in the Calumet area, she wondered what in the world was attached to the bark of that hardwood tree. Turns out it’s a Northern Tooth Fungus that features overlapping, fleshy, fan-shaped brackets that turn from white to creamy tan. It can gradually break down the heartwood on the tree and potentially weaken the tree over time. Supposedly they’re OK to eat, but better when they’re young as they get tough as the grow bigger.

The rest of the photos come to us from Tami Anderson who was out hiking in the woods with her son Zach and they found some interesting fungi. The second shot is a Flaming Scalycap they found, a golden-yellow mushroom that grows near decaying wood, pine needles and green moss on the forest floor. It’s a rather interesting mushroom, with that vibrant color. It has a bitter taste and tough texture and is not recommended for consumption. The third photo I found quite unique... it’s a Crown-Tipped Coral or Candelabra Coral Fungus, which also grows on decaying wood. It grows in a cluster of branches, with distinct little crown-like tips at the end of each branch. It is considered a mild edible species, although older ones can be tough and they’re difficult to clean properly of the forest debri, due to the way they grow in clusters.

Tami also found a patch of blackberries, some ripe, some still in the process of ripening. It’s that time of year and those berries are quite tasty. My neighbor kids have been picking the ones near their home and selling them by the quart in their roadside stand. Yummy! And the last photo is of Daisy amongst the brush in the woods. Not a flower daisy, but Tami’s Golden Retriever Daisy. She makes a good hiking partner I bet!

Neither Liz or Tami spotted any moose, but Kristin Ojaniemi from Discover the U.P. has an update for us on the status of the U.P. Moose population from researchers of the moose collaring study being conducted by the Michigan DNR, Northern Michigan University and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. So sit back and enjoy Discovering Episode 193.

Hi
I'd enjoy coming across blackberries and a sweet Golden
Retriever in the woods.

I'm heading up to the cabin today. No internet there,
so everybody have a good week and good Labor Day.

Are those some interesting looking shrooms!

I LOVE Discovering, I would admit to being
addicted! lol

Have the most wonderful time Kathyrn! I'm jealous!

How ironic, we just returned from a walk
along the Elkhart River and saw that Northern
Tooth Fungus on a dead Cottonwood (down
here in northern Indiana). Enjoyed all the
great photos & video today :) Thanks for sharing!

Very cool pictures. I've truly never seen anything
like then. We keep meaning to go pick blackberries
but just have not gotten out to do much of anything
this summer. Lotsa reasons. But hopefully we'll get
out to the lake this week. It's supposed to finally
be hot.

Thanks for sharing these pictures. They're awesome.