They're back ..... ! Garden Giant surprises us with early appearance
"While preparing the garden for spring planting, Dr. Pam and I were delighted to be greeted with clusters of Garden Giant mushrooms (Stropharia rugoso-annulata), also known as the King Stropharia which can become massive in size. Best consumed when they are young and burgundy in color, this mushroom voraciously consumes and transforms woodchips into rich soil - perfect for enhancing your garden. They also produce acanthocytes, spiny little spheres which stab nematodes, allowing the mycelium to consume plant-parasitic 'eelworms'. For more information on how to grow and spread this amazing mushroom species, including 'stem butt inoculations' see my book, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World.
Photos of little Azureus Stamets by Michael Beug
Acanthocytes of Stropharia rugosoannulata function as a nematode-attacking device
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16598005/
by H Luo · 2006 · Cited by 52 — Efficient killing of nematodes by Stropharia rugosoannulataFarlow ex Murrill cultures was observed. This fungus showed the ability to immobilize the free- living ...
Acanthocytes of Stropharia rugosoannulata Function as a Nematode-Attacking Device
Mar. 31, 2021 — PDF | Efficient killing of nematodes by Stropharia rugosoannulata Farlow ex Murrill cultures was observed. This fungus showed the ability to …
photo by Michael Beug.