As the year draws to a close, the fungal kingdom participates in a kind of grand finale that is best experienced within a conifer forest.
Under dense canopies of pines, troops of ochre-colored mushrooms push their way through the soil. These particular fungi, which are housed within the Suillus genus, characteristically wear slimy coats adorned with seasonal debris including pine needles, unlucky insects, and additional forest offerings.
Such a performance is not to be missed, as many of these mushrooms are edible and among the last of the mycorrhizal fungi to appear in temperate climates before temperatures plummet and the ground freezes.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve made several trips to conifer-rich woodlands in order to witness this end-of-the-year fungal grand finale. And on almost every occasion, slimy mushrooms were in no short supply.
If you’re interested in learning more about these wild edible mushrooms whose golden days are numbered, check out the following video!