Michael Davis
The biggest mushroom in the world is a member of the species Armillaria ostoyae, also known as the honey mushroom. This particular fungus, found in Oregon's Malheur National Forest, covers an area of 3.5 square miles or 9.1 square kilometres. It is believed to be around 8,000 years old and weighs approximately 35,000 tons. Armillaria ostoyae is mostly found in the cooler regions of the northern hemisphere, including North America and parts of Asia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Armillaria ostoyae (synonym A. solidipes) |
| Common Name | Honey Mushroom |
| Species | Pathogenic |
| Family | Physalacriaceae |
| Colour | Cream-Brown |
| Cap | Prominent scales |
| Ring | Well-developed |
| Geographical Area | 3.5 square miles (2,200 acres; 9.1 km2) |
| Age | 8,000 years |
| Weight | 35,000 tons |
| Location | Malheur National Forest, Oregon, USA |
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What You'll Learn
- Armillaria ostoyae, also known as honey mushrooms, is the largest living organism on Earth
- The species covers 3.5 square miles and weighs 35,000 tons
- It is found in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon
- The Armillaria genus is known as honey mushrooms due to their yellow caps
- The largest individual fungal fruit body in the world is a specimen of Phellinus ellipsoideus
Armillaria ostoyae, also known as honey mushrooms, is the largest living organism on Earth
The honey mushroom gets its name from the amber-coloured fruit that emerges in the fall. The subterranean parts of the organism bloom "honey mushrooms" as surface fruits. These mushrooms are the only part of the fungus that appears above ground, and they only emerge when it is time to reproduce. The mushrooms have wide and thin gills that radiate from the stem, which retains a well-developed ring. The gills leave a white spore print, and once spore formation is complete, the mature mushroom can spread its spores to start a new generation.
Armillaria ostoyae can grow to huge proportions due to low competition for land and nutrients. It is estimated that a specimen in northeastern Oregon's Malheur National Forest is the largest living organism on Earth by mass, area, and volume. This organism covers 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2) and may weigh as much as 35,000 tons. It is believed to be between 2,000 and 10,000 years old.
The fungus grows under the bark of trees and can spread along the network of buried tree roots. It is a parasite that invades the sapwood of trees and can disseminate over great distances in the form of black rhizomorphs, also known as "shoestrings". Armillaria ostoyae can cause root disease in trees, leading to their death.
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The species covers 3.5 square miles and weighs 35,000 tons
The Armillaria ostoyae fungus, also known as the humongous fungus, is a single fungal organism found in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon. It covers 3.5 square miles (9.1 square kilometres or 2,200 acres) and weighs an estimated 35,000 tons. This makes it the largest living organism on Earth, with a greater total geographical area than any other single living organism.
The Armillaria ostoyae mushroom, commonly known as the honey mushroom, is usually only visible above ground when it is time to reproduce. The subterranean parts of the organism bloom honey mushrooms as surface fruits. The mycelium, or main body of the fungus, spends its time decomposing dead material and consuming soil nutrients.
The enormous size of the Armillaria ostoyae fungus is attributed to its ability to survive by digesting living tree roots. It grows and spreads primarily underground, invading the sapwood of trees and disseminating over great distances under the bark or between trees in the form of black rhizomorphs, or "shoestrings".
The Armillaria ostoyae fungus is estimated to be 8,000 years old, though some estimates place it at 2,400 years old or even as ancient as 8,650 years old. It was discovered in 1998 and is believed to have originated from spores of a parent fungus in Ontario, Canada.
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It is found in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon
The largest mushroom in the world is a fungus called Armillaria ostoyae, also known as the "humongous fungus". It is found in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon and is believed to be the largest living organism on Earth. This giant mushroom covers an area of 3.5 square miles or 9 square kilometres, which is equivalent to approximately 1,665 football fields. To put that into perspective, it is estimated to be around 2,400 years old but could be as old as 8,000 to 8,650 years, making it one of the oldest living organisms as well.
The Armillaria ostoyae mushroom, commonly known as the honey mushroom, is a pathogenic species of fungus in the family Physalacriaceae. It was first discovered in 1998 and has since been recognised as a new record holder for the title of the world's largest known organism. While it may be the largest single organism, it is rivalled by a colony of Posidonia australis on the Australian seabed, which measures 200 square kilometres.
This particular fungus grows wide and thin gills that radiate from the stem and leave a white spore print. It is mostly found underground, invading the sapwood of trees and spreading between them in the form of black rhizomorphs or "shoestrings". During the autumn, it produces honey mushrooms as surface fruits. The subterranean parts of the fungus feed on soil nutrients and decompose dead organic matter, and it can even digest living tree roots.
The "humongous fungus" in Oregon is estimated to weigh around 35,000 tons, which is almost eight times the weight of three blue whales. While it is usually underground, it pops up above the surface when it is time to reproduce. This is when the mushroom cap, the most familiar part of a fungus, becomes visible.
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The Armillaria genus is known as honey mushrooms due to their yellow caps
The Armillaria genus, commonly known as honey mushrooms, is a group of fungi that includes about ten species. These fungi are long-lived and can grow to huge proportions, forming the largest living fungi in the world. The Armillaria ostoyae, for example, covers more than 3.4 square miles (8.8 km^2) in Oregon and is estimated to be 2,500 years old. Another notable specimen of Armillaria ostoyae in northern Michigan, United States, originated from spores of a parent fungus in Ontario, Canada, and grew to a mass of 440 tons, equivalent to the weight of three blue whales.
The distinctive feature of the Armillaria genus is the colour of their caps, which are typically yellow-brown, sticky to the touch when moist, and range in shape from conical to convex to depressed in the centre as they age. The species Armillaria mellea, commonly known as honey fungus or honey mushroom, is recognised by its yellow caps. These mushrooms often grow in clusters, fruiting from a central base, and can vary in size with some caps reaching nearly the size of a softball. Honey mushrooms are characterised by their white spore print and rings on their stems, except for Armillaria tabescens, which is a ringless variety.
The Armillaria genus is a pathogenic species of fungus, meaning they are plant pathogens that cause root rot in many plant species. They produce mushrooms around the base of the trees they infect, and the symptoms of infection include discoloured foliage, reduced growth, dieback of branches, and death. Armillaria mellea, in particular, infects both through basidiospores and penetration of host species by rhizomorphs, which can grow up to one meter per year in search of new tissue to infect. These fungi are typically found on hardwoods and conifers, including orchards, planted forests, and vineyards.
Honey mushrooms are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, especially in Eastern Europe. They are commonly ranked above morels and chanterelles, and only the cep/porcini is more highly prized. However, it is important to note that honey mushrooms must be thoroughly cooked as they are mildly poisonous when raw. Additionally, they can cause sickness when ingested with alcohol, so it is recommended to avoid drinking alcohol for at least 12 hours before and 24 hours after consuming these mushrooms.
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The largest individual fungal fruit body in the world is a specimen of Phellinus ellipsoideus
In 2010, Cui and Dai were performing fieldwork in tropical woodland on Hainan Island, China, studying wood-rotting fungi. They uncovered a very large P. ellipsoideus fruit body on a fallen Quercus asymmetrica log, which turned out to be the largest fungal fruit body ever documented. The fruit body was found at an altitude of 958 meters (3,143 feet) in an old-growth forest. It was initially difficult to identify the specimen as P. ellipsoideus due to its large size, but samples taken for analysis confirmed its identity.
The fruit body was 20 years old, up to 1,085 cm (35.60 ft) long, 82-88 cm (32-35 in) wide, and 4.6-5.5 cm (1.8-2.2 in) thick. It was estimated to weigh between 400 and 500 kilograms (880 and 1,100 lb), significantly larger than the previously largest recorded fungal fruit body, a specimen of Rigidoporus ulmarius found in the United Kingdom with a circumference of 425 cm (167 in). The discovery was formally published in Fungal Biology in September 2011 and gained attention in the mainstream press worldwide.
Research has also been conducted into the potential medicinal properties of P. ellipsoideus. A 2011 study found that the fungus contains a large number of diverse steroidal compounds, suggesting comparatively high pharmacological activity. Later publications echoed this research, claiming that the fungus has "potential medicinal functions". Additionally, P. ellipsoideus is used to make MuSkin, a vegan alternative to leather.
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Frequently asked questions
The biggest mushroom in the world is the Armillaria ostoyae, also known as the honey mushroom.
The Armillaria ostoyae can be found in the forests of the Pacific Northwest in North America, specifically in British Columbia and Oregon.
The Armillaria ostoyae covers an area of 3.5 square miles or 9 square kilometres. It may weigh up to 35,000 tons.
The Armillaria ostoyae grows and spreads primarily underground, digesting living tree roots. It spends most of the year underground and only pops up when it is time to reproduce.
The Armillaria ostoyae is estimated to be 2,400 years old but could be as ancient as 8,650 years.
